juLiusMmMf 


THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2008  witii  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


littp://www.arcliive.org/details/awakeningofdeserOObirg 


THE  AWAKENING 
OF    THE    DESERT 


BY 


JULIUS  C.  BIRGE 


With  Illustrations 


RICHARD  G.  BADGER 

THE  GORHAM  PRESS 
BOSTON 


Copyright  1912  by  Richard  G.  Badger 
All  Rights  Reserved 


The  Gorham  Press,  Boston,  U.  S.  A. 


oH4 


THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

I    A  Call  to  the  Wilderness 11 

II     "Rollout" 18 

III     The  Advancing  Wave  of  Civilization 24 

IV     A  River  Town  of  the  Day 38 

V     Our  Introduction  to  the  Great  Plains 52 

yi     The  Oregon  TraU 64 

VII     Society  in  the  Wilderness 76 

VIII     Jack  Morrow's  Ranch 88 

IX     Men  of  the  Western  Twilight 102 

X    Dan,  the  Doctor 118 

XI     Fording  the  Platte  in  High  Water 133 

XII  The  Phantom  Liar  of  Greasewood  Desert .  .   142 

XIII     The  Mystery  of  Scott's  Bluffs 156 

XIV     The  Peace  Pipe  at  Laramie 167 

XV     Red  Cloud  on  the  War  Path 186 

XVI     The  Mormon  Trail 196 

XVn  Wild  Midnight  Revelry  in  the  Caspar  Hills  211 

XVIII     A  Night  at  Red  Buttes 223 

XIX     Camp  Fire  Yarns  at  Three  Crossings 237 

XX     A  Spectacular  Buffalo  Chase. 252 

XXI     ThePartingof  the  W^ays 267 

XXII     The  Banditti  of  Ham's  Fork 281 

XXIII  Through  the  Wasatch  Mountains 290 

XXIV  Why  a  Fau-  City  Arose  in  a  Desert 303 

XXV  Some  Inside  Ghmpses  of  Mormon  Affairs. .  324 

XXVI     Mormon  Homes  and  Social  Life 342 

XXVII     The  Boarding  House  Train 359 

XXVIII     Some  Episodes  in  Stock  Hunting 380 

XXIX     Adventures  of  an  Amateur  Detective 393 

XXX    The  Overland  Stage  Line 409 


±PA  7f.9d 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Trail  Through  Salt  Lake  Desert  Frontispiece 

Facing  page 

Elk 16 

WUd  Cat 48 

The  Oregon  Trail,  Through  Mitchell  Pass 64 

Chimney  Rock,  One  of  the  Old  Landmarks  of  the  '49 

Trail 74 

Grizzly  Bear 96 

Cougar 112 

Buffalos 130 

Jail  Rock  and  Court  House  Rock 148 

Scott's  Bluff,  Showing  Dome  Rock  in  the  Distance .  .  155 

The  Old  Company  Quarters  at  Fort  Laramie 184 

Sage  Brush  Growth 202 

The  Rockies 252 

Fremont  Peak  and  Island  Lake  on  the  West  Slope  of 

the  Wind  River  Range 268 

Red  Sandstone  Cliffs,  on  Wind  River 280 

Weber  River,  Mouth  of  Echo  Canyon 294 

Joseph  Smith 304 

The  King  of  Beaver  Island 308 

Brigham  Young 316 

First  House  Built  in  Salt  Lake  City 330 

Great  Salt  Lake '  ' 346 

Through  the  Wasatch 360 

Dead  Man's  Falls,  Little  Cottonwood,  Utah 386 

Suter's  Fort  Before  Restoration,  Sacramento,  Calif.  406 

First  House  in  Denver 420 


THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 


THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

CHAPTER  I 
A  Call  to  the  Wilderness 

WILL  you  join  us  in  a  camping  trip  to  the 
Pacific  Coast?"  This  alluring  invita- 
tion w  as  addressed  to  the  wTiter  one  cold, 
drizzly  night  in  the  early  spring  of  1866 
by  Captain  Hill  Whitmore,  one  of  a  party  of  six  men  who 
by  prearrangement  had  gathered  round  a  cheerful  wood 
fire  in  a  village  store  in  Whitewater,  Wisconsin. 

The  regular  business  of  the  estabhshment  had  ended  for 
the  day;  the  tight  wooden  shutters  had  been  placed  upon 
the  doors  and  windows  of  the  store  as  was  the  custom  in 
those  times;  and  the  key  was  now  turned  in  the  lock  to 
prevent  intrusions.  All  the  lights  had  been  turned  off, 
except  that  of  a  single  kerosene  lamp,  suspended  from  the 
ceiling  near  the  stove;  the  gentle  glow  revealed  within  a 
small  arc  on  either  side  of  the  room  the  lines  of  shelving 
filled  with  bolts  of  dry  goods,  but  toward  the  front  and  the 
rear  of  the  long  room  it  was  lost  in  the  darkness.  The  con- 
ditions were  favorable  for  a  quiet,  undisturbed  discussion 
of  a  proposed  enterprise,  for  even  Ray,  the  clerk,  after 
ramming  a  maple  log  into  the  fire,  had  quietly  stretched 
himself  out  upon  one  of  the  long  counters  near  the  st  3 ve, 
resting  his  head  upon  a  bolt  of  blue  denim. 

Tipping  back  in  a  big  wooden  chair  against  the  opposite 

11 


1^  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

counter,  at  the  Captain's  side,  with  his  feet  on  the  rail  by 
the  stove,  sat  big  John  Wilson.  John  had  made  a  trip 
across  the  plains  with  Whitmore  the  preceding  year,  and 
was  now  arranging  to  become  his  partner  in  a  similar  ven- 
ture on  a  larger  scale.  Trader  and  adventurer  by  instinct, 
Wilson,  as  his  record  had  showTi,  would  promptly  accept  a 
brickyard  or  a  grocery  in  exchange  for  live  stock  or  a  farm, 
and  preferred  any  new  enterprise  to  a  business  with  which 
he  was  famihar. 

Fred  Day,  an  interesting  young  man  of  twenty  years, 
was  a  consumptive.  He  and  I  sat  side  by  side  at  the  front 
of  the  stove,  while  nervous  little  Paul  Beemer,  when  not 
pacing  back  and  forth  between  the  counters  behind  us,  sat 
astride  a  small  chair,  resting  his  arms  on  its  back,  and  lis- 
tening with  close  attention. 

Stalwart  Dan  Trippe  sat  in  a  big  arm  chair  near  Paul. 
He  had  already  been  informed  in  a  general  way  that  a 
transcontinental  expedition  was  being  planned.  Dan  also 
was  ever  ready  to  consider  any  new  venture.  He  had  once 
crossed  the  plains  to  Pike's  Peak,  and  had  no  present  voca- 
tion. Running  his  fingers  through  his  curly  hair,  as  was 
his  habit  in  serious  moments,  he  launched  a  question  to- 
ward the  opposite  side  of  the  stove. 

"Well,  John,  what's  the  proposition.''  What's  the 
scheme.''" 

Dropping  his  chair  forward  upon  its  four  legs,  and 
knocking  the  ashes  from  his  pipe,  John  proceeded  to  out- 
line the  tentative  plan  then  in  mind.  Briefly  stated,  the 
project  was  to  fit  out  a  wagon  train  with  the  view  of  freight- 
ing from  the  Missouri  River  to  the  Coast.  In  the  preced- 
ing year  the  rates  for  transportation  to  Salt  Lake  had  been 
from  twenty  to  thirty  cents  per  pound,  affording  a  fine 
profit  if  the  train  should  go  through  safe. 


A  CALL  TO  THE  WILDERNESS  13 

Hill  Whitmore,  a  vigorous,  compactly  built  man,  then 
in  the  prime  of  life,  and  who  since  the  discovery  of  gold  in 
California  had  more  than  once  piloted  such  trains  across 
the  wide  stretch  of  plains  and  mountains  to  the  Pacific 
Coast,  would  be  a  partner  in  the  enterprise  and  the  Cap- 
tain of  the  expedition.     We  had  known  him  long  and  well. 

An  opportunity  was  now  offered  for  the  investment  of 
more  capital  which,  if  no  mishap  should  befall  the  train, 
would  pay  'big  money.' 

A  few  young  fellows  could  also  accompany  the  outfit  and 
obtain  a  great  experience  at  a  moderate  cost.  Being  my- 
self a  convalescent  from  a  serious  attack  of  typhoid  fever, 
and  having  temporarily  withdrawni  from  business  at  the 
recommendation  of  physicians,  Fred's  condition  command- 
ed my  serious  consideration.  I  gently  pulled  his  coat- 
sleeve  as  a  signal  for  him  to  follow  me,  and  we  leisurely 
sauntered  down  into  the  shadows  near  the  front  of  the  store 
where,  backing  up  against  a  counter,  we  were  soon  seated 
together  on  its  top.  We  both  knew,  without  exchanging 
a  word,  that  we  had  some  interests  in  common.  Ordi- 
narily, he  was  a  genial  and  affable  companion,  but  we  both 
remained  silent  then,  for  we  were  absorbed  in  thinking — 
and  doubtless  along  the  same  lines.  The  mere  suggestion 
of  the  trip  at  once  brought  vividly  to  my  mind  all  the  little 
I  then  knew  of  the  West.  Like  all  Gaul  m  the  days  of 
Caesar,  it  seemed  in  some  vague  way  to  be  divided  into 
three  parts,  the  plains,  the  mountains,  and  the  region  be- 
yond. 

The  indefiniteness  of  the  old  western  maps  of  the  day 
left  much  to  the  imagination  of  the  young  student  of  geog- 
raphy and  suggested  the  idea  of  something  new  to  be  dis- 
covered. The  great  American  Desert  was  represented  as 
extendmg  hundreds  of  miles  along  the  eastern  slope  of  the 


14         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

mountains.  Other  deserts  were  shown  m  the  unoccupied 
spaces  beyond,  and 

"  As  geographers  in  Afric's  maps 
With  savage  pictures  fill  their  gaps, " 

so  here  and  there  on  our  maps  of  the  western  territories 
was  inserted  the  name  of  some  Indian  tribe  which  was 
supposed  to  lead  its  wild,  nomadic  life  in  the  district  indi- 
cated. A  few  rivers  and  mountain  peaks  which  had  re- 
ceived the  names  of  early  explorers,  Great  Salt  Lake  to 
which  the  Mormons  had  been  led,  and  other  objects  to 
which  had  been  appHed  the  breezj%  not  to  say  blood-curd- 
ling, appellations  peculiar  to  the  nomenclature  of  the  West, 
all  were  perhaps  more  famihar  to  the  average  American 
schoolboy  than  were  the  classic  names  which  have  lived 
through  twenty  centuries  of  history.  In  the  imagination 
of  youth,  "Smob.'  Hill  Fork,"  "Devil's  SHde,"  and  "Rattle- 
snake Hills"  figured  as  pretty  nearly  what  such  terms  nat- 
urally suggest.  Along  the  first-mentioned  stream — then 
far  away  from  civilization — the  soft  haze  and  smoke  of  an 
ideal  Indian  summer  was  supposed  to  rest  perpetually,  and 
it  was  beheved  that  in  days  of  long  ago,  weird  demons 
were  really  wont  to  disport  themselves  on  the  moimtain 
slope  called  Devil's  Slide.  The  far  West  seemed  to  be  a 
mystic  land  always  and  ever^'where  wooing  to  interesting 
adventure. 

"Do  you  think  that  Ben  would  go?"  asked  Fred  in  an 
earnest  tone. 

"That's  a  bright  thought,  Fred.  With  Ben,  we  would 
be  a  harmonious  triumvirate;  but  let's  hear  more  of  the 
program."     So  we  returned  to  our  seats  by  the  stove. 

"^Miitmore  was  outlining  some  of  the  details  and  indicat- 
ing the  provisions  which  it  would  be  necessary  to  make,  in 


A  CALL  TO  THE  WILDERNESS  15 

view  of  the  fact  that  no  raih-oad  had  as  yet  been  laid  even 
across  Iowa,  much  less  between  the  Missouri  and  the  Pacific. 

"Now  boys,  you  must  understand  that  we're  cutting 
loose  from  all  established  settlements.  There  won't  be 
any  stores  to  drop  into  to  buy  anjiihing  that  you  have  for- 
gotten to  bring  along.  Anybody  that  wants  lemonade 
will  have  to  bring  along  his  lemons  and  his  squeezer.  After 
we  get  beyond  the  Missouri  River  you  will  find  no  white 
peoples'  homes  until  you  strike  the  Mormon  settlement 
in  Utah,  so  we'll  have  to  take  along  enough  grub  to  feed 
us  for  several  months; — of  course  we  ought  to  kill  some 
game  on  the  way,  which  will  help  out.  Our  stock  must  live 
wholly  upon  such  pasturage  as  can  be  found  along  the  way. 
The  men  must  also  be  well  armed  with  rifles;  wagons  must 
be  built;  and  the  cattle  must  be  purchased.  There  is  a  lot 
to  do  to  get  ready,  and  we  must  start  in  on  it  at  once. " 

During  the  preceding  year,  as  was  well  known,  the  In- 
dians in  the  West  had  been  unusually  hostile.  Many  par- 
ties of  freighters,  among  them  Wliitmore's  train,  had  been 
attacked,  and  a  great  number  of  travelers  had  been  mas- 
sacred. That  year  and  the  one  to  be  described,  are  still 
mentioned  in  the  annals  of  the  West,  as  "the  bloody  years 
on  the  plains."  This  state  of  affairs  was  fully  considered 
and  discussed,  not  solely  from  the  standpoint  of  personal 
safety,  but  also  with  reference  to  the  success  of  the  enter- 
prise. 

Having  been  reared  among  the  Indian  tribes  of  South- 
ern Wisconsin,  and  within  a  mile  of  the  spot  where  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  disbanded  his  company  at  the  close  of  the 
Black  Hawk  War,  I  was  disposed  to  believe  that  I  was  not 
entirely  unfamiliar  with  the  manners  and  customs  of  the 
aborigines.  Searches  for  arrows  and  spearheads  in  pre- 
historic Aztalan  and  in  other  places,  visits  to  Bad  Axe  and 


16         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

to  other  scenes  of  conflict  with  Indians  had  been  to  me 
sources  of  keen  dehght.  O-v^er  these  battlefields  there 
seemed  to  rest  a  halo  of  glorj\  They  were  invested  with 
interest  profound  as  that  which,  in  later  years,  stimulated 
my  imagination  when  I  looked  upon  more  notable  battle- 
fields of  the  Old  World,  where  the  destinies  of  nations  had 
been  decided.  But  at  this  time  the  experiences  of  my 
youth  were  fresh  in  my  mind  and  the  suggestion  of  a  west- 
em  trip  found  in  me  an  eager  welcome. 

It  was  not  indeed  the  lure  of  wealth,  nor  entirely  a  search 
for  health  that  attracted  the  younger  members  of  the  party 
to  a  consideration  of  the  project,  nor  in  contemplating  such 
an  expedition  was  there  enkindled  any  burning  desire  for 
warfare;  it  was  the  fascination  of  the  \^'ild  life  in  prospect 
that  tempted  us  most  powerfully  to  share  the  fortunes  of 
the  other  boys  who  had  been  our  companions  in  earlier 
years  and  whom  we  fervently  hoped  would  join  the  party. 
Fred  undoubtedly  expressed  our  sentiments  when  he  said: 

"My  enthusiasm  might  take  a  big  slump  if  a  raid  of 
those  red  de\'ils  should  swoop  down  upon  us,  but  if  I  go,  I 
shall  feel  as  if  I  didn't  get  my  money's  worth,  if  we  don't 
see  some  of  the  real  life  of  the  Wild  West. " 

We  had  all  been  accustomed  to  the  use  of  firearms  and 
could  picture  in  our  imagination  how,  from  behind  an  am- 
ple rock,  with  the  aid  of  good  long-range  rifles,  we  would 
valiantly  defend  ourselves  against  an  enemy  armed  with 
bows  and  arrows,  we  being  far  beyond  the  range  of  such 
primitive  weapons. 

Immense  herds  of  buffalo  and  other  large  game  were  also 
knov^Ti  to  range  over  the  plains  from  the  Canadian  border 
to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  these  at  times  might  receive 
proper  attention.  Yea,  there  were  some  present  who 
even  expressed  a  desire  to  capture  a  grizzly  bear  in  the 


J^ 


t,^ 


A  CALL  TO  THE  WILDERNESS  17 

mountains — of  course  under  sane  and  safe  conditions — 
though  none  up  to  that  time  had  seen  the  real  thing. 

A  former  schoolmate,  Billy  Comstock,  best  known  as 
"Wild  Bill,"  who  rode  the  first  pony  express  from  Atchi- 
son, and  had  often  been  called  upon  by  our  Government 
to  act  as  Indian  interpreter,  was  said  to  be  somewhere  on 
the  plains.  This  was  encouraging,  for  Wilham  would  be 
able  to  give  us  some  interesting  pointers. 

"  We  will  meet  here  again  after  the  store  closes  tomorrow 
night "  was  the  word  that  passed  round  as  we  went  out  into 
the  sleet  and  rain,  and  the  door  closed  behind  us. 

At  the  earliest  opportunity  our  friend,  Ben  Frees,  who 
had  recently  returned  from  the  war,  was  interviewed  with 
favorable  results. 

"Yes,  I  will  go  with  the  boys,"  was  my  decision  finally 
reached  after  a  full  discussion  of  the  subject  at  home. 

And  the  three  boys  went. 


CHAPTER  II 

"Rollout" 

WHITMORE  and  Wilson,  who  were  the 
leadmg  spirits  in  our  expedition,  urged 
that  twenty-five  Henry  repeating  rifles 
(which  had  recently  been  invented)  and 
thirty  Colt's  revolvers  should  be  secured  for  our  party; 
this  in  view  of  their  experience  on  the  plains  in  the  preced- 
ing year  and  of  recent  reports  from  the  West.  If  any  tri- 
fling precaution  of  that  nature  would  in  any  way  contrib- 
ute to  the  safety  and  comfort  of  those  gentlemen,  it  would 
certainly  meet  with  my  approval.  They  were  to  leave 
families  behind  them  and  should  go  fully  protected.  In 
fact  certain  stories  that  had  been  related  in  my  hearing 
had  excited  even  within  my  breast  a  strong  prejudice 
against  the  impolite  and  boorish  manner  in  which  Indians 
sometimes  scalped  their  captives.  Orders  were  according- 
ly transmitted  for  the  arms  to  be  shipped  from  Hartford. 
The  sixty  wagons  were  built  specially  for  the  purpose  in 
question  and  thirty-six  vigorous  young  men,  the  most  of 
whom  had  seen  service  in  the  Civil  War  just  ended,  were 
secured  to  manage  the  teams. 

Under  the  new  white  canvas  cover  of  each  wagon  lay 
at  least  one  rifle.     The  men  had  practiced  more  or  less  the 

18 


"ROLL  OUT"  19 

use  of  the  peculiar  whip  that  seemed  necessary  for  the  long 
teams.  It  consisted  of  a  very  short  stock  and  an  exceed- 
ingly long  lash,  which  the  expert  can  throw  to  its  utmost 
length  so  as  to  reach  the  flank  of  a  leader  with  accuracy, 
and  without  injury  to  the  beast,  producing  a  report  rivaling 
in  sharpness  the  explosion  of  a  firecracker.  The  loudness 
of  its  snap  was  the  measure  of  the  skill  with  which  the 
whip  had  been  wielded. 

The  afternoon  of  Wednesday,  April  18th,  beheld  a  lively 
scene  on  the  streets  of  the  old  town.  Three  hundred 
and  sixty  oxen,  strong  and  healthy,  but  in  some  instances 
refractory,  (as  might  have  been  expected),  were  carefully 
distributed  and  yoked  up  in  their  assigned  positions.  With 
the  wagons  they  were  lined  out  in  the  long  street,  the 
train  extending  about  three-fifths  of  a  mile,  while  the  men 
in  position  awaited  the  command  to  move.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  crowds  of  children  and  other  curious  onlookers, 
there  were  gathered  at  each  wagon  many  friends,  relatives, 
and,  in  some  cases,  sweethearts  of  the  young  men  in  charge 
of  the  several  teams,  to  speak  the  tender  words  of  farewell. 
It  may  sound  strange  now  to  say  that  many  tears  were 
shed.  In  this  day  of  safe  and  swift  travel,  it  is  not  easy  to 
find  occasion  that  would  justify  such  a  demonstration.  It 
must  be  remembered,  however,  that  the  trip,  even  to  Salt 
Lake  City,  on  which  this  train  was  about  to  set  out,  would 
consume  more  time  than  now  would  be  necessary  to  circle 
the  globe.  Moreover,  the  war,  during  which  partings  had 
come  to  be  serious  occasions,  had  but  just  ended.  After 
leaving  the  Missouri  River  by  the  route  contemplated, 
communication  with  friends  at  home  would  be  suspended 
or  uncertain  for  many  months.  The  alarming  indications 
of  trouble  with  Indians  on  the  plains  were  also  in  every 
mind,  but  were  doubtless  viewed  less  seriously  by  the 


20         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

strong  young  men  now  departing  than  by  those  who  were 
left  behind,  even  by  such  as  would  not  be  apt  "to  fear  for 
the  fearless  were  they  companions  in  their  danger." 

The  appointed  hour  of  four  o'clock  having  arrived,  the 
command  "roll  out, "  which  afterwards  became  very  famil- 
iar, was  given.  Under  vigorous  and  incessant  cracking  of 
the  new  whips,  the  long  train  began  to  move  on  its  journey 
westward.  Expressions  of  kind  wishes  blended  with 
cheers  and  the  voices  of  the  drivers,  who  were  as  yet  not 
familiar  with  the  great  teams  which  they  were  to  manage. 

The  undignified  conduct  of  some  of  the  young,  untrained 
oxen,  which  occasionally  persisted  in  an  endeavor  to  strike 
off  for  themselves  (possibly  to  seek  their  former  masters' 
cribs),  and  the  efforts  of  inexperienced  drivers  to  bring 
them  under  subjection,  were  the  cause  of  much  amusement, 
especially  when  one  long  team,  inspired  by  some  sudden 
impulse,  swung  round  its  driver  and  doubled  up  in  a  con- 
fused mass,  while  a  lone  but  unobserved  country  woman 
in  a  buggy  was  endeavoring  to  drive  by.  His  years  of  ex- 
perience in  a  country  store  were  then  of  little  avail  to  the 
young  whipmaster  who  was  less  expert  in  wielding  a  long 
lash  than  in  measuring  calico  for  maidens.  While  raising 
his  voice  to  its  highest  pitch,  he  was  also  striving  to  dem- 
onstrate his  skill  in  manipulating  the  formidable  thong  by 
landing  its  resounding  tip  on  the  flank  of  an  unruly  steer 
full  fifty  feet  away.  As  the  long  cord  whirled  swiftly  in 
its  broad  circuit  behind  him  it  completely  enwrapped  the 
body  of  the  woman.  A  terrific  scream  was  the  first  inti- 
mation which  came  to  our  busy  driver  telling  him  the  na- 
ture of  the  obstruction  against  which  he  was  tugging. 
Her  horse  at  once  joined  in  the  melee,  and,  starting, 
dragged  the  whip  behind  the  buggy,  until  assistance  was 
given  and  apologies  were  made.     The  woman  pleasantly 


"ROLLOUT"  21 

remarked  that  she  would  not  feel  safe  on  her  farm  \sath 
many  such  drivers  around. 

Before  sunset  the  train  reached  Harrington's  Pond,  the 
objective  point  of  the  first  night's  camp.  The  cooks  at 
once  pitched  their  tent,  while  the  teamsters,  having  cor- 
ralled the  wagons  into  a  circle,  prepared  to  turn  the  cattle 
loose  to  feed  upon  the  range.  Before  they  were  released, 
Whitmore  shouted  to  the  driver  inside  the  circle : 

"Now  boys,  everybody  must  look  at  his  oxen  mighty 
careful  so  as  to  know  them  and  know  where  they  belong 
in  the  teams,  because  if  you  don't  you'll  have  a  tussle  in 
the  mornmg  picking  out  your  stock  and  yoking  them  right 
when  they'll  be  mixed  up  with  four  hundred  other  oxen. " 

Hearing  this  admonition,  Gus  Scoville,  who  had  long 
been  a  store  clerk,  stood  beside  his  oxen  in  a  state  of  doubt 
and  dire  perplexity  and  finally  opened  his  heart : 

"Say  Jule,  these  oxen  all  look  just  alike  to  me.  How 
in  thimder  is  a  fellow  going  to  know  them  in  the  morning; 
it's  hard  enough  to  know  some  people. " 

"TSTiy  Gus,  they  have  lots  of  expression  in  their  faces, 
and  know  each  other  mighty  well.  Say,  I'll  tell  you  how 
to  work  it,  get  a  black  rag  and  tear  it  into  long  strings  and 
tie  a  strip  around  the  tail  of  each  ox. " 

I  don't  know  from  whose  old  coat  Gus  tore  the  black 
lining,  but  the  oxen  were  soon  decorated  with  emblems  of 
mourning.  The  guards  to  watch  the  stock  having  been  as- 
signed, the  men  came  down  to  the  realities  of  camp  life: 
no  more  china  plates  set  by  dainty  hands  on  white  linen 
tablecloths;  no  more  delicate  tidbits  such  as  a  housewife 
in  a  comfortable  home  so  often  serves;  no  easy  chairs  in 
which  to  rest  in  comfort,  and  no  cleanly  beds  in  which  to 
pass  the  night, — yet  no  one  was  disappointed,  and  good 
spirits  prevailed.     The  tin  plates  with  bacon  and  hot 


22         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

bread,  and  the  big  tin  cups  of  coffee,  without  milk,  were 
disposed  of  with  evident  rehsh,  born  of  exercise  and  good 
digestion. 

After  the  earlier  evening  hours  had  been  whiled  away 
with  song  and  jest,  one  by  one  the  pilgrims  retired  to  their 
respective  covered  wagons,  wrapped  their  blankets  round 
them  and  maybe  with  boots  beneath  their  heads  for  a  pil- 
low, sought  the  peace  of  sleep.  Now  and  then  the  voice 
of  some  exuberant  youth  yet  untamed  would  break  the 
stillness  of  the  night  with  an  old  song  inappropriate  to  the 
hour,  and  from  out  some  remote  wagon  another  would 
join  in  the  refrain. 

As  the  mariner  on  the  first  glimpse  of  the  morning  light 
looks  out  toward  the  sky  to  see  what  are  the  signs  for  the 
coming  day,  so  on  their  first  morning  in  camp  the  boys, 
hearing  the  murmur  of  raindrops  on  their  wagon  covers 
or  tents,  looked  out  to  take  an  observation,  and  discov- 
ered indications  of  an  approaching  storm.  After  the  first 
preliminary  gusts,  the  weather  settled  down  into  a  steady 
rain,  which  continued  thirty-six  hours.  It  was  deemed 
inexpedient  so  early  in  the  trip  to  subject  the  men  to  un- 
necessary exposure,  and  the  party  was  continued  in  camp. 
There  were  many  duties  to  perform.  The  guard  for  the 
stock  was  changed  periodically,  but  the  boys  in  general  de- 
voted their  energies  to  keeping  dry  and  to  drying  out  what 
had  become  wet.  This  was  no  easy  matter,  because  the 
camp  became  surrounded  by  a  sea  of  mud,  and  little 
comfort  could  be  derived  from  an  open,  out-of-door  bon- 
fire, upon  which  the  heavens  were  sending  a  drenching 
rain.  The  meals  were  served  largely  in  the  wagons,  in 
some  of  which  a  number  of  the  party  would  gather  for  riau- 
tual  comfort  and  warmth,  the  food  being  conveyed  to  them 
by  self-sacrificing  young  men,  who  with  a  pail  of  hot  coffee 


"ROLLOUT"  23 

in  one  hand  and  tinware  in  the  other,  braved  the  elements 
for  the  common  good. 

They  were  already  beginning  to  learn  who  were  the  good 
fellows,  ready  to  do  service,  and  who  were  the  "gentle- 
men," too  selfish  or  indifferent  to  share  fully  with  others 
the  responsibilities  and  sacrifices  of  this  mode  of  life.  Trav- 
el of  the  kind  upon  which  they  were  embarking  brings  out 
the  inward  characteristics  of  men  more  quickly  and  thor- 
oughly than  can  anything  else.  The  spirit  of  Burns' 
Grace  before  Meat  is  consoling  when  all  does  not  go 
smoothly : 

"Some  hae  meat  and  canna  eat. 

And  some  wad  eat  that  want  it ; 

But  we  hae  meat  and  we  can  eat, 

Sae  let  the  Lord  be  thankit. " 

The  gloomy  day  was  followed  by  a  night  of  inky  black- 
ness, during  which  the  April  wind  made  the  wagon  covers 
flap  incessantly,  while  the  rain  steadily  rattled  on  the 
sheets  and  the  air  was  chilly  and  penetrating.  The  con- 
ditions were  not  favorable  to  hilarity,  and  there  was  little 
noise  except  that  caused  by  the  elements;  so  until  noon  of 
the  following  day  everyone  sought  to  make  the  best  of  ex- 
isting conditions,  believing  that,  as  had  always  been  their 
observation,  there  never  was  a  night  so  dark,  nor  a  storm 
so  severe  that  it  was  not  followed  by  a  sunburst. 


CHAPTER  III 
The  Advancing  Wave  of  Civilization 

HAVE  you  ever  carefully  watched  the  move- 
ments or  caught  the  earnest  spirit  of  the  im- 
migrant who,  after  traveling  many  hun- 
dreds of  miles  along  the  difficult  roads  through 
an  unbroken  country  to  a  strange  land,  there  seeks  a  spot 
where  he  may  build  a  home  for  his  family?  Many  of  the 
young  men  in  our  party  were  on  such  a  mission.  That  we 
may  better  understand  the  motives  which  inspired  them 
and  the  movement  of  which  they  became  a  part,  a  retro- 
spective glance  seems  almost  necessary. 

Having  late  in  the  thirties  become  the  first  scion  of  the 
pioneers  in  the  country  where  I  was  born,  I  ought  to  be 
qualified  to  throw  some  light  upon  the  experiences  of  the 
frontiersman,  because  primeval  Wisconsin,  as  it  lay  un- 
touched by  civilization,  and  the  inflow  of  its  population  as 
I  saw  it,  left  upon  my  mind  vivid  impressions.  There  was 
a  blending  of  pathos  and  humor  in  the  arduous  hves  of 
these  builders  of  the  nation. 

Without  then  comprehending  its  significance,  I  had  ob- 
served from  time  to  time  the  arrival  of  sturdy  and  intelli- 
gent home-seekers  from  New  England  and  New  York, 
transporting  their  household  effects  in  country  wagons 
along  the  old,  but  almost  impassable  territorial  road.  I  was 

24 


THE  ADVANCING  WAVE  OF  CIVILIZATION   25 

once  led  to  accompany  two  other  children,  who,  with  their 
parents,  were  on  such  a  pilgrimage.  In  their  two-horse 
wagon  were  tightly  packed  a  little  furniture  and  a  few 
boxes.  The  wagon  cover  had  been  turned  that  the  view 
might  be  unobstructed.  At  one  time  the  immigrants 
paused  as  they  forded  a  running  brook;  thej'  looked  up 
and  down  the  green  valley;  then  they  drove  out  from  the 
road  to  the  summit  of  a  nearby  knoll,  where  their  horses 
were  again  rested.  Here  the  father  rose  to  his  feet;  he 
turned  his  eyes  earnestly  and  intently  now  in  one  direction 
and  now  in  another  across  the  inviting  stretches  of  unoc- 
cupied territory.  An  entrancing  panorama  of  small  valleys 
and  vistas  of  groves,  all  clothed  in  soft  verdure  of  June, 
was  spread  out  before  him;  not  a  thing  of  man's  construc- 
tion, nor  even  a  domestic  animal,  was  visible  on  the  land- 
scape, except  their  faithful  dog,  which  was  scurrying 
among  the  hazel  bushes. 

To  me  there  seemed  a  long  delay.  The  father  finally 
lifted  his  little,  young  wife  so  that  she  stood  upon  the  wag- 
on seat,  supporting  her  with  an  encircling  arm,  his  two 
boys  standing  before  him.  The  children  looked  with 
wondering  eyes,  as  he  pointed  to  a  far-away  green  meadow 
traversed  by  a  brook,  from  near  which  rose  a  wooded  slope. 
He  asked  if  that  would  be  a  good  place  for  a  home.  A 
simple  but  expressive  nod,  a  tear  in  her  eye,  and  a  kiss  on 
her  husband's  cheek,  were  the  only  signs  of  approval  that 
the  sick  and  weary  vnie  was  able  to  give.  In  later  years, 
when  I  had  learned  their  history,  I  knew  better  the  meaning 
of  the  mother's  emotion.  The  father  drove  do-wn  the  bushy 
slope  to  the  meadow,  then  taking  his  axe  he  crossed  to  the 
woodland,  and  there  he  blazed  a  tree  as  an  evidence  of  his 
claim.  Returning  to  the  shelter  of  another  settler's  home, 
he  was  welcomed,  as  were  all  comers,  by  the  pioneers,  and 


26         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

one  little  room  was  for  many  days  the  home  of  the  two  fam- 
ilies once  accustomed  to  eastern  comforts.  There  they 
remained  until  the  father  could  drive  fifty  miles  to  the 
Government  land  office,  there  perfect  his  title,  and  return 
to  "roll  up"  his  log  cabin. 

Such  was  the  beginning  of  that  colonization.  I  watched 
the  first  wagon  train  that  later  heralded  the  coming  tide 
of  thrifty  Norwegians,  and  many  of  their  trains  that  fol- 
lowed. I  had  never  before  seen  a  foreigner.  They  all 
followed  round  the  Great  Lakes  in  sailing  vessels  to  Mil- 
waukee. There  they  piled  high  their  great  wooden  chests 
upon  farmers'  wagons  by  the  side  of  which  in  strange, 
short- waisted,  long-skirted  woolen  coats  and  blue  caps,  and 
with  their  women  and  children  at  their  side,  they  plodded 
along  on  foot,  first  through  the  forests,  then  over  the  open- 
ings along  the  same  territorial  road.  Both  men  and  women 
often  slept  at  night  under  the  loaded  wagons.  I  have  ob- 
served them  at  their  meals  by  the  wayside  where  nothing 
was  eaten  but  dry  sheets  of  rye  bread  little  thicker  than 
blotting  paper,  and  much  like  it  in  appearance.  A  few 
villages  had  then  sprung  up.  From  these  the  Norwegians 
scattered,  chiefly  among  the  hills,  and  there  built  little 
homes  and  left  their  impress  upon  the  country. 

But  westward,  and  farther  westward,  the  tide  contin- 
ued to  flow.  As  some  of  the  young  men  in  our  train  were 
emigrating  to  the  West  to  establish  a  home  in  the  new 
country  which  they  had  never  seen,  I  now  found  myself  to 
be  a  part  of  this  wonderful  westward  movement  and  was 
again  to  share  in  its  peculiar  vicissitudes  and  experiences; 
however,  as  a  participant,  favored  with  special  opportu- 
nities, observing  others  also  borne  forward  in  the  flux  of 
nations. 

As  our  train  was  traversing  the  first  five-hundred-mile 


THE  ADVANCING  WAVE  OF  CIVILIZATION  27 

lap  to  the  Missouri  River,  we  discovered  that  the  homes 
beyond  a  certain  point  in  Central  Iowa  seemed  suddenly 
as  it  were  to  be  few  and  far  apart,  leaving  increasing 
stretches  of  unoccupied  land  between  them.  The  popula- 
tion rapidly  thinned  out,  until  its  last  ripples  were  reached 
in  the  western  part  of  the  state,  where  the  serenity  of  na- 
ture was  hardly  disturbed  by  the  approaching  flood  of  im- 
migration. 

There  was  already  a  line  of  small  towns  along  the  west 
bank  of  the  Missouri,  which  were  the  staiting  points  for 
transcontinental  traffic,  where  freight  was  transferred  from 
river  steamers  to  wagons.  Beyond  the  Missouri  and  a 
narrow  strip  of  arable  land  along  its  western  shore,  lay 
the  vast  territory  believed  to  be  fit  only  for  savages,  wild 
beasts,  and  fur  traders,  a  wide,  inhospitable  waste,  which 
men  were  compelled  to  cross  who  would  reach  the  Eldorado 
on  the  Pacific,  or  the  mines  in  the  mountains. 

The  line  of  demarcation  between  the  fertile  and  the 
arid  country  was  supposed  to  be  well  defined.  On  one  side 
Nature  responded  to  the  spring  and  summer  showers  with 
luxuriant  ^^erdure;  on  the  western  side  the  sterile  soil  lay 
dormant  under  rainless  skies.  It  was  believed  that  immi- 
gration would  certainly  be  checked  at  this  line  as  the  ocean 
tide  faints  upon  a  sandy  shore;  but  it  had  now  begun  to 
flow  along  a  narrow  trail  across  the  desert  to  a  more  gener- 
ous land  beyond.  To  this  trail  our  course  was  now  di- 
rected. 

It  would  be  an  exceedingly  dull  company  of  emigrants 
and  ox  drivers  which  while  tra\'eling  together  even  through 
a  somewhat  settled  country,  and  sharing  with  each  other 
the  free  life  of  the  camp,  would  not  have  among  its  mem- 
bers a  few  whose  thoughts  and  activities  would  at  times 
break  out  from  the  narrow  grooves  of  prescribed  duties. 


S8         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Our  life  of  migration  through  the  inhabited  country  was 
intensely  interesting,  furnishing  many  peculiar  experiences, 
all  flavored  to  some  extent  by  the  character  and  temper  of 
the  persons  concerned.  As  the  eagerness  of  the  men  to 
emancipate  themselves  from  the  restraints  of  civilization 
increased,  they  began  soon  to  adopt  the  manners  of  fron- 
tiersmen, and  to  resort  to  every  possible  device  within  the 
range  of  their  inventive  powers  for  diversion. 

Young  Moore,  who  hoped  to  reach  Oregon,  was  an  exu- 
berant fellow  preferring  any  unconstrained  activities  to 
regular  duties.  In  former  days  he  had  distinguished  him- 
self in  "speaking  pieces"  in  the  district  school.  This 
training  led  him  often  to  quote  poetry  very  freely  and 
dramatically.  It  was  Moore  who  sighted  the  first  game 
worthy  of  mention,  when  he  observed  two  beautiful  ani- 
mals at  the  moment  that  they  glided  into  a  copse  of  bushes 
nearly  half  a  mile  from  the  train.  Transferring  the  care 
of  his  team  to  another,  he  hastened  for  his  gun  and  started 
upon  the  first  interesting  hunt  of  the  trip.  This  being  really 
his  maiden  experience  in  the  fascinating  sport,  he  was  de- 
sirous of  winning  for  himself  the  first  laurels  of  victory  in 
the  chase.  Not  knowing  the  nature  of  the  animals  to  be  en- 
countered, he  approached  as  closely  as  possible  to  the  cov- 
eted game,  penetrating  the  thicket  where  the  animals  were 
concealed.  The  first  discharge  of  his  gun  probably  wound- 
ed one  of  the  animals  which,  by  the  way,  had  a  means  of 
defense  that  baffles  the  attacks  of  the  most  powerful  foe. 
The  more  experienced  drivers  soon  knew  that  he  had  en- 
countered the  malodorous  Mephites  Americana,  commonly 
known  as  skunk.  Both  of  the  animals  and  possibly  some 
unseen  confederates  of  the  same  family,  must  have  invoked 
their  combined  resources  in  the  conflict  with  Moore,  for  the 
all-pervasive  pungent  odor  loaded  the  air  and  was  wafted 


THE  ADVANCING  WAVE  OF  CIVILIZATION  29 

toward  us,  seemingly  dense  enough  to  be  felt.  Moore 
retreated  into  the  open  and  ran  toward  the  train  for  as- 
sistance, but  he  was  no  longer  a  desirable  companion. 
While  it  might  be  truly  said  that  he  was  a  sight,  it  might 
better  be  said  that  he  was  a  smell. 

The  train  moved  on  in  search  of  pure  air,  and  Moore  fol- 
lowed, bearing  with  him  the  reminder  of  his  unfortunate 
experience.  Wheresoever  he  went  he  left  behind  him  an 
invisible  trail  of  odor  which  had  the  suggestion  of  conta- 
gion, and  from  which  his  fellows  fled  in  dismay  or  disgust. 

In  the  calm  stillness  of  the  next  evening,  when  voices 
were  easily  heard  at  a  distance,  and  when  through  the  soft 
air  of  spring,  perfumes  were  transmitted  in  their  greatest 
perfection,  Moore  stood  alone,  far  away  from  the  camp, 
and  delivered  an  eloquent  but  pathetic  monologue,  con- 
cluding with  the  servant's  words  to  Pistol,  "I  would  give 
all  my  fame  for  a  pot  of  ale  and  safety. "  Then  across  the 
intervening  space  he  calmly  discussed  with  his  friends  the 
advisability  of  burying  his  clothes  for  a  week  to  deodorize 
them,  a  custom  said  to  be  common  among  farmers  who 
have  suffered  a  like  experience.  It  was  finally  conceded 
that  he  should  hold  himself  in  quarantine  for  the  night, 
and  not  less  than  a  mile  from  the  train,  and  that  during  the 
ensuing  days  his  garments  might  be  hung  in  the  open  air 
on  the  rear  of  the  hind  wagon.  The  sequel  to  this  hunt 
was  approximately  forty  miles  long,  for  the  train  covered 
more  than  that  distance  before  it  ceased  to  leave  in  its 
trail  the  fragrant  reminder  of  Moore's  first  essay  in  hunt- 
ing. 

On  a  Saturday  the  long  train  rolled  through  the  compara- 
tively old  town  of  Milton,  a  little  village  settled  in  the  for- 
ties by  a  colony  of  Seventh  Day  Baptists.  As  is  well 
known,  these  people  honor  the  seventh  day,  or  Saturday, 


30         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

as  their  Sabbath,  or  daj^  of  rest.  We  filed  through  the 
quiet,  sleepy  town  while  the  worshippers  were  going  to 
their  church.  It  seemed  as  if  we  had  either  lost  our  reck- 
oning of  time,  or  were  flagrantly  dishonoring  the  Lord's 
Day. 

After  we  had  passed  through  to  the  open  country^  beyond, 
some  of  the  boys  who  had  been  riding  together  in  the  rear 
and  had  been  discussing  the  Sunday  question  brought  to 
mind  by  this  trifling  occurrence,  decided  to  inter\'iew  our 
highest  authority  upon  the  subject,  and  accordingly  rode 
alongside  of  Captain  \Miitmore,  who  had  been  riding  in 
advance.  "  Captain, "  said  one  of  the  party,  in  a  dignified 
and  serious  manner,  "we  know  that  your  recent  fife  has 
been  spent  very  much  in  the  mountains  and  that  you  have 
not  been  a  regular  attendant  at  church,  although  we  be- 
heve  your  wife  to  be  a  good  Methodist.  What  has  been 
your  practice  in  this  kind  of  travel  with  reference  to  Sab- 
bath observance?" 

"Well,  now,  my  boy,"  repHed  the  Captain,  "I  have 
never  cared  very  much  for  Sunday  or  for  churches,  but  you 
must  know  that  when  we  get  out  on  the  plains  we  can't  af- 
ford to  stop  all  our  stock  to  starve  on  a  desert  where  there 
is  no  feed  or  water  just  because  it  is  Sunday.  Sometimes 
there  may  be  grass  enough  on  a  little  bottom  for  a  night, 
but  it  wiU  be  cropped  close  before  the  stock  lies  down.  To 
remain  another  night  would  mean  starvation  to  the  stock, 
which  would  be  roaming  in  every  direction.  Of  course  I 
don't  know  the  ranges  as  well  as  the  buffaloes  do,  but  there 
are  a  few  places,  and  I  know  pretty  near  where  to  find 
them,  where  in  most  seasons  stock  can  feed  a  second  day, 
unless  others  have  too  recently  pastured  it.  \Mien  I  find 
such  a  place  I  lie  over  for  a  day  and  don't  care  if  it  is  Satur- 
day,  Sunday  or  Monday.     But,"  he  added,   with  earn- 


THE  ADVANCING  WAVE  OF  CIVILIZATION  31 

estness,  "I  want  to  tell  you  one  thing.  I  have  crossed  the 
plains  to  the  coast  many  times,  and  I  can  take  a  train  of 
oxen  or  mules  and  turn  them  out  one  whole  day  every 
sixth  or  seventh  day,  free  to  range  for  twenty-four  hours, 
and  I  can  make  this  trip  in  less  time  and  bring  my  stock 
through  to  the  Pacific  in  better  condition  than  any  fool 
can  who  drives  them  even  a  little  every  day. " 

"Now,  Cap,"  said  one,  "you  are  getting  right  down  to 
the  philosophy  of  Sabbath  observance.  Why  can  you 
drive  farther  by  resting  full  days  rather  than  to  rest  your 
stock  a  little  more  each  day  .f* " 

"Well,  I  don't  know,  except  that  I  have  tried  both  ways. 
Animals  and  men  seem  to  be  built  that  way.  Now, 
here's  these  Seventh  Day  Baptists  whose  Sunday  comes 
on  Saturday.  They're  all  right,  but  they  would  be  just  as 
correct  if  they  would  regularly  use  any  other  day  as  the 
Sabbath,  and  I  believe  the  Lord  knew  what  we  ought  to 
have  when  he  got  out  the  fourth  commandment.  I  know 
'em  all  as  well  as  you  do.  I  think  Mrs.  Whitmore  is  right 
in  going  to  church  on  Sunday,  and  in  making  me  put  on  a 
clean  shirt  when  at  home,  even  though  I  do  not  go  with 
her.  It  would  be  better  for  me  if  I  would  go  with  her,  but 
I  have  roughed  it  so  much  that  I  have  got  out  of  the  way 
of  it." 

Thus  was  announced  the  Captain's  policy  for  our  quasi 
weekly  days  of  rest,  and  the  affair  was  conducted  accord- 
ingly. 

As  our  train  crawled  across  Rock  River,  whose  banks 
were  once  the  favorite  hunting  grounds  of  the  Win- 
nebagoes  and  Pottawattamies,  I  recalled  a  final  gather- 
ing of  the  remnant  of  the  latter  tribe,  which  I 
witnessed,  when,  for  the  last  time,  they  turned  from 
their  beautiful  home  and  started  in  single  file  on  their 


32         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

long,  sad  trail  toward  the  setting  sun,  to  the  reser- 
vation set  apart  for  them  forever.  We  shall  note  more  of 
this  type  of  historical  incident  as  we  pass  beyond  the  Mis- 
souri, for  the  white  man  was  pushing  the  Indian  year  by 
year  farther  back  into  the  wild  and  arid  lands  then  sup- 
posed to  be  of  no  use  for  cultivation. 

The  overshadowing  events  of  more  recent  years  cause 
us  almost  to  forget  that  Zachary  Taylor,  Winfield  Scott, 
Jefferson  Davis,  Abraham  Lincoln,  Robert  Anderson  of 
Fort  Sumter  fame,  and  other  men  who  became  distinguished 
in  American  affairs,  were  once  engaged  in  pursuing  the 
Sacs  and  Foxes  up  these  streams  which  we  crossed  while 
on  our  journey  to  the  land  of  the  yet  unsubdued  Sioux  and 
Cheyennes. 

Passing  beyond  the  Mississippi,  and  to  the  western  limit 
of  railroad  transportation,  I  was  joined  at  Monticello  by 
my  old  friends,  Ben  Frees  and  Fred  Day. 

Walking  back  six  miles  from  the  frontier  station  we 
struck  the  camp  in  time  for  a  late  supper.  The  dark  even- 
ing hom-s  were  brightened  by  a  rousing  bonfire  that  the 
boys  had  built.  The  shadows  of  night  had  long  since  set- 
tled down  upon  the  camp,  and,  there  being  no  apparent 
occasion  for  us  to  retire  immediately,  Ben,  Fred  and  I 
wandered  together  out  into  the  gloom  far  away  from  the 
now  flickering  camp  fire,  which  like  some  fevered  lives, 
was  soon  to  leave  nothing  but  gray  ashes  or  blackened, 
dying  embers.  We  had  just  come  together  after  our  sepa- 
ration, and  we  conversed  long  concerning  the  unknown 
future  that  lay  before  us,  for  no  definite  plans  for  our  trip, 
nor  even  the  route  that  we  were  to  take,  had  been  per- 
fected, and  this  was  the  second  of  May. 

Our  footsteps  led  us  toward  a  rural  cemetery,  some  miles 
east  of  the  town  of  Monticello,  in  which  we  had  already 


THE  ADVANCING  WAVE  OF  CIVILIZATION  33 

observed  a  few  white  grave  stones,  indicating  that  the  grim 
reaper  had  found  an  early  harvest  in  this  new  settlement. 
Our  attention  was  soon  attracted  to  a  dim  light  slowly 
floating  around  the  ground  in  a  remote  ravine  within  the 
enclosure.  A  lonely  graveyard  at  night  had  never  appealed 
to  me  as  a  place  of  especial  interest,  yet  I  had  heard  of  one 
unfortunate,  who  in  his  natural  life  had  done  a  great 
wrong;  when  consigned  to  the  tomb,  his  spirit,  unable  to 
rise,  was  held  to  earth,  and  yearly  on  certain  nights  it 
hovered  over  the  grave  where  his  own  body  had  gone  to 
dust. 

"Boys, "  said  Fred,  "that  light  is  certainly  mysterious;  it 
is  not  the  light  of  a  candle. "  A  slight  chill  ran  up  my  spinal 
column,  concerning  which  I  made  no  comment.  It  was  at 
once  suggested  that  there  was  nothing  we  were  able  to  do 
about  it;  moreover  our  diffidence  and  modesty  naturally  in- 
clined us  to  avoid  mixing  up  in  the  private,  sub-mundane 
affairs  of  the  departed,  especially  those  with  whom  we  had 
had  no  acquaintance,  or  whose  character  was  uncertain. 
If,  instead  of  this  strange  light,  the  appearance  had  been 
something  of  flesh  and  blood,  we,  being  as  we  believed, 
quite  courageous,  would  have  proceeded  at  once  to  inves- 
tigate its  nature.  Curiosity,  however,  led  us  to  advance 
cautiously  forward.  Ben,  being  a  trifle  shorter  than  I, 
was  permitted  to  move  in  advance,  as  I  did  not  wish  to 
obstruct  his  view.  The  phosphorescence,  or  whatever  it 
was,  soon  ceased  to  move,  and  rested  near  a  little  grave- 
stone, the  form  of  which  we  could  faintly  discern  in  out- 
line. Quietly  drawing  nearer,  we  caught  the  subdued 
sound  of  something  like  a  human  voice  coming,  as  we  be- 
lieved (and  as  was  truly  the  fact),  from  the  earth;  the 
words,  as  nearly  as  we  could  understand,  were,  "help  me 
out. "     Surely  this  was  a  spirit  struggling  to  escape,  and  our 


34         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

approach  was  recognized.  At  that  moment  we  were  startled 
to  discover  an  arm  reaching  upward  from  the  earth. 
Another  dark  form,  emerging  from  the  shadow  of  a  near- 
by copse  of  bushes,  in  the  dim  light  could  be  seen  approach- 
ing toward  the  extended  hand,  which  it  appeared  to  grasp, 
and  a  body  was  lifted  to  the  surface,  from  which  came  the 
words  of  kind  assurance,  "It's  all  right,  Mike."  "Sure," 
said  Ben,  "that  is  an  Irishman,  and  I  think  Irishmen  are 
generally  good  fellows,  but  I  believe  they  are  robbing  a 
grave." 

Drawing  still  nearer  we  discovered  that  the  light  which 
we  had  observed  was  an  old-fashioned  tin  lantern,  suspend- 
ed from  a  small  tree,  and  its  feeble  rays  now  brought  to  our 
view  a  plain,  wooden  coflBn  resting  upon  the  ground.  In- 
spired by  a  better  knowledge  of  the  situation,  we  quickly 
came  to  the  front,  and,  as  if  vested  with  some  authority 
for  inquiring  concerning  this  desecration,  we  demanded  an 
explanation,  for  it  was  now  past  midnight. 

"And  wad  ye  have  all  the  facts?"  asked  the  Irishman, 
as  we  looked  into  the  open  grave.  We  firmly  urged  that 
we  must  understand  the  whole  situation.  The  two  men 
glanced  at  each  other.  "Well,"  said  one,  "this  man  in 
this  coffin  ferninst  ye,  died  last  night  of  smallpox,  and  we 
were  hired  to  bury  him  before  morning,  because  ye 
wouldn't  have  a  smallpox  stiff  around  in  the  day  time,  wad 
ye?"  The  path  out  of  the  graveyard  was  tortuous  and 
dark;  in  fact,  we  found  no  path  through  the  dense  under- 
brush, but  we  reached  the  road  in  safety.  Unseen  and 
immaterial  things  are  usually  more  feared  than  are  visible 
and  tangible  objects.  The  combination  of  smallpox  and 
spirits  departed  verges  visibly  on  the  uncanny. 

On  a  tributary  of  the  Des  Moines  River  we  found  the 
first  Indians  thus  far  seen,  possibly  two  score  of  miserable, 


THE  ADVANCING  WAVE  OF  CIVILIZATION  35 

degraded  beings  who  were  camping  there.  They  had  little 
of  the  free,  dignified  bearing  of  representatives  of  the  tribes 
with  which  I  had  once  been  familiar.  A  little  contact  with 
civ-ilization  and  a  little  support  from  the  Government  had 
made  them  the  idle,  aimless  wanderers  that  nearly  all  sav- 
ages become  when  under  such  influence.  Keokuk,  the 
successor  of  Black  Hawk,  and  Wapello,  became  chiefs  of 
the  united  tribes  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  and  along  with 
Appanoose,  a  Fox  chief,  received  reservations  along  these 
streams.  Wapello  was  buried  at  Indian  Agency  near  Ottu- 
tumwa,  beside  the  body  of  his  friend  and  protector,  Gen- 
eral Street. 

Our  men  had  not  yet  reached  a  state  of  savagery  in 
which  there  was  not  occasional  longing  for  the  good  things 
commonly  enjoyed  by  civilized  beings.  Among  these 
was  milk.  On  the  day  that  we  met  the  Indians,  and  at 
some  distance  from  the  camp,  a  solitary  cow  was  seen  feed- 
ing on  the  prairie.  Several  days  had  passed  since  our  men 
had  been  permitted  to  enjoy  the  luxury  of  milk  for  coffee. 
It  occurred  to  Brant  that  a  golden  opportunity  was  pre- 
sented, which  if  seized  upon  would  place  the  camp  under 
lasting  obligations  to  him.  He  struck  across  the  countrj-^ 
and  gradually  approaching  the  animal  succeeded  so  thor- 
oughly in  securing  her  confidence  that  he  soon  returned 
with  a  pail  of  the  precious  liquid.  The  question  arose  as 
to  whether  or  not  Brant  could  set  up  a  valid  defense  against 
a  charge  of  larceny  in  case  the  owner  of  the  cow,  ha\'ing 
proof  that  he  had  extracted  the  milk,  should  prefer  charges 
against  him.  The  case  was  argued  at  the  evening  session, 
and  I  preserved  a  record  of  the  proceedings.  Evidence 
was  adduced  to  show  that  at  the  time  the  milk  was  taken, 
the  cow  was  feeding  upon  the  public  domain,  or  what  is 
known  as  Government  land;  that  the  grass  and  water 


36         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

which  were  taken  for  its  support  and  nourishment  were 
obtained  by  the  said  cow  from  public  lands  without  pay- 
ment therefor;  that  a  portion  of  said  grass  taken  by  said 
cow  and  not  required  for  nourishment  did,  through  the 
processes  of  nature,  become  milk;  that  the  said  milk  at  the 
time  of  its  extraction  had  not  become  either  constructively 
or  prospectively  an  essential  part  of  said  cow,  nor  could 
any  title  thereto  become  exclusively  vested  in  the  owner 
of  said  cow,  except  such  milk  as  said  cow  should  have  with- 
in her  when  she  should  enter  upon  the  premises  of  her 
owner.  It  was  admitted  that  the  milk  was  obtained  from 
said  cow  under  false  pretences,  by  \artue  of  the  fact  that 
Brant's  manner  in  approaching  her  was  such  as  was  calcu- 
lated to  cause  any  cow  of  ordinary  intelligence  to  believe 
that  he  was  duly  authorized  to  take  said  milk.  It  was 
assumed,  however,  that  under  the  statutes  of  low^a  there 
was  no  law  by  which  said  cow  could  become  a  plaintiff  in  a 
case,  even  through  the  intervention  of  a  nearest  friend. 

As  the  milk  was  to  be  served  freely  to  all  the  boys  for 
breakfast,  and  as  we  were  desirous  that  all  questions  of 
justice  and  equity  should  be  fairly  settled  before  any  prop- 
erty should  be  appropriated  to  our  use  w^hich  might  have 
been  unlawfully  acquired,  the  jury,  after  prayerful  con- 
sideration decided  that  as  the  food  taken  by  said  cow  to 
produce  said  milk  was  public  property,  the  milk  also  was 
the  property  of  the  public.  We,  therefore,  used  the  milk 
in  our  coffee  f(jr  breakfast.  It  was  also  the  last  obtained 
by  the  men  for  many  months. 

At  this  juncturel  was  to  be  sent  upon  a  mission.  There 
had  been  transported  in  the  Captain's  wagon  a  little  more 
than  $8,000.00  in  currency  to  be  used  in  the  purchase  of 
supplies.  Whitmore  was  anxious  that  this  currency, 
which  was  quite  a  large  sura  for  that  day,  should  be  de- 


THE  ADVANCING  WAVE  OF  CIVILIZATION  37 

posited  in  some  bank  in  Nebraska  City.  Improvising  a 
belt  in  which  the  money  was  placed,  I  started  out  alone 
for  that  town,  and  soon  encountered  heavy  storms,  which 
delayed  progress.  On  one  day  in  which  I  made  a  continu- 
ous ride  of  seventy -eight  miles,  one  stretch  of  twenty -four 
miles  was  passed  along  which  no  house  was  visible.  This 
indicated  the  tapering  out  of  civilization  and  the  proximity 
of  the  western  limit  of  population  in  that  territory. 

On  the  22d  of  May  I  crossed  the  Missouri  Eiver  by  a 
ferry,  after  fording  a  long  stretch  of  flooded  bottom  lands 
to  the  landing,  five  days  after  leaving  our  train,  and 
reached  Nebraska  City,  then  an  outfitting  point  for  trans- 
continental travel. 


CHAPTER  IV 
A  River  Town  of  the  Day 

FROIVI  the  western  boundary  of  the  state  that 
bears  its  name,  the  attenuated  channel  of  the 
Missouri  River  stretched  itself  far  out  into  the 
unsettled  Northwest,  projecting  its  long  an- 
tennae-like tributaries  into  the  distant  mountains,  where 
year  after  year  the  fur  traders  awaited  the  annual  arrival 
of  the  small  river  steamers,  which  in  one  trip  each  summer 
brought  thither  supplies  from  St.  Louis  and  returned  with 
rich  cargoes  of  furs  and  peltries.  On  the  western  bank 
of  that  turbid,  fickle  stream  were  half  a  dozen  towns, 
known  chiefly  as  out-fitting  places,  which  owed  their  ex- 
istence to  the  river  transportation  from  St.  Louis,  whereby 
supplies  consigned  to  the  mountains,  or  to  the  Pacific  Coast, 
could  be  carried  hundreds  of  miles  further  west  and  nearer 
to  the  mining  districts  and  the  ocean  than  by  any  other 
economical  mode  of  transit.  These  towns  had,  therefore, 
become  the  base  of  operations  for  commerce  and  travel 
between  the  East  and  the  far  West,  and  so  remained  until 
the  transcontinental  railroads  spanned  the  wilderness  be- 
yond, 

Nebraska  City  was  a  fair  type  of  those  singular  towns, 
which  possibly  have  no  counterpart  at  the  present  time. 
Like  many  western  settlements,  Nebraska  City  was  chris- 
tened a  city  when  in  its  cradle,  possibly  because  of  the  pre- 

38 


A  Rn'ER  TOWN  OF  THE  DAY  39 

vailing  optimism  of  all  western  to\s-n-site  boomers,  who 
would  make  their  town  a  city  at  least  in  name,  with  the 
hope  that  in  time  it  would  become  a  city  in  fact.  The  vis- 
itor to  one  of  those  towns  at  the  present  day  is  sure  to  be 
impressed  with  the  remarkable  metamorphosis  wrought  in 
five  decades,  if  he  stops  to  recall  the  hurly-burly  and  bustle 
of  ante-railroad  days  when  the  great  wagon  trains  were 
preparing  for  their  spring  migration. 

It  was  at  noon  on  the  day  of  my  arrival  in  Nebraska 
City  when  I  debarked  from  the  ferryboat  and  rode  my 
horse  up  the  one  street  of  the  embryo  city  until  I  discov- 
ered the  primitive  caravansary  known  as  the  Seymour 
House,  which  provided  entertainment  not  only  for  man 
and  beast  but  incidentally  also  for  various  other  living 
creatures.  The  house  seemed  to  be  crowded,  but  with  the 
suave  assurance  characteristic  of  successful  hotel  managers, 
the  host  encouraged  me  to  cherish  the  hope  that  I  might  be 
provided  with  a  bed  at  night,  which  would  be  assigned  me 
later.  After  taking  a  hasty  meal,  being  as  yet  undespoiled 
of  the  funds  I  had  transported,  I  entered  a  bank,  and  with 
little  knowledge  concerning  its  solvency,  gladly  relieved 
myself  of  the  burden  of  currency  which  I  had  borne  for 
many  days  and  nights.  Then  I  strolled  out  upon  the  busy 
highway  to  see  the  town. 

Rain  had  been  falling  intermittently  for  several  days, 
leaving  portions  of  the  roadway  covered  with  a  thick  solu- 
tion of  clay,  but  there  were  sidewalks  which  the  numerous 
pedestrians  followed.  A  panoramic  view  of  the  streets  could 
not  fail  to  remind  one  of  the  country  fairs  in  olden  times. 
Huge  covered  wagons,  drawn  by  four  or  five  yoke  of  oxen, 
or  as  many  mules,  moved  slowly  up  and  down  that  thor- 
oughfare. Mingled  with  these  were  wagons  of  more  mod- 
erate size,  loaded  with  household  goods,  the  property  of 


40         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

emigrants.  I  learned  that  the  greater  number  of  these  were 
taking  on  supplies  for  their  western  journey.  Many  men, 
some  mounted  upon  horses  and  others  upon  mules,  were 
riding  hurriedly  up  and  down  the  street,  as  if  speeding  upon 
some  important  mission.  All  these  riders  seemed  to  have 
adopted  a  free  and  easy  style  of  horsemanship  entirely  un- 
like that  which  is  religiously  taught  by  riding  masters  and 
practiced  by  gentlemen  in  our  city  parks.  Their  dress 
was  invariably  some  rough  garb  peculiar  to  the  West,  con- 
sisting in  part  of  a  soft  hat,  a  flanne  Ishirt,  and  "pants" 
tucked  tightly  into  long-legged  boots,  which  were  gener- 
ally worn  in  those  days.  To  these  were  added  the  mdis- 
pensable  leather  belt,  from  which  in  many  cases  a  revolver 
hung  suspended.  Men  of  the  same  type  thronged  the 
sidewalks;  many  of  them  with  spurs  rattling  at  their  heels 
were  young,  lusty-looking  fellows,  evidently  abounding  in 
vigor  and  enthusiasm. 

I  conversed  with  many  of  them,  and  learned  that  the 
greater  number  were  young  farmers  or  villagers  from  the 
western  and  southern  states.  Some  of  them  were  wearing 
the  uniform  of  the  Northern  or  the  Southern  army.  As- 
sembled in  and  around  the  wide-open  saloons  there  were 
also  coteries  of  men  whose  actions  and  words  indicated 
that  they  were  quite  at  home  in  the  worst  life  of  the  fron- 
tier. Hardly  one  of  these  men  then  upon  the  streets,  as 
far  as  I  could  discover,  was  a  resident  of  the  city;  all  seemed 
to  be  planning  to  join  some  train  bound  for  the  West. 
Such  were  some  of  the  factors  destined  to  waken  into  life 
the  slumbering  resources  of  the  broad,  undeveloped  regions 
beyond  the  Missouri. 

Wandering  further  up  the  street,  my  steps  were  attracted 
toward  a  band  of  PawTiee  Indians,  who  had  entered  the 
town,  and,  standing  in  a  compact  group,  were  gazing  with 


A  RIVER  TO^YN  OF  THE  DAY  41 

silent,  stolid  solemnity  upon  the  busy  scene.  As  was  the 
custom  \ni\\  that  tribe,  their  stiff  black  hair  was  cut  so  as 
to  leave  a  crest  standing  erect  over  their  heads.  Their 
blankets,  wrapped  tightly  around  their  bodies,  partly  ex- 
posed their  bare  limbs  and  moccasined  feet,  their  primitive 
bows  and  their  quivers  of  arrows.  They  had  not  yet  de- 
generated into  the  mongrel  caricatures  of  the  noble  red 
man  that  are  often  seen  in  later  days,  garbed  in  old  straw 
hats  and  a  few  castaway  articles  of  the  white  man's  dress, 
combined  with  paint  and  feathers;  but  they  stood  there  as 
strong  representatives  of  the  last  generation  of  one  of  the 
proudest  and  most  warlike  tribes  of  America,  the  most  un- 
compromising enemy  of  the  Sioux,  and  as  yet  apparently 
unaffected  by  contact  with  civilization. 

Led  by  a  natural  desire  to  learn  what  were  the  thoughts 
then  uppermost  in  their  minds,  I  cordially  addressed  them 
with  the  formal  salutation  "How,"  a  word  almost  univer- 
sally understood  and  used  in  friendly  greeting  to  Indians 
of  any  tribe.  A  guttural  "How"  was  uttered  in  return, 
but  all  further  efforts  to  awaken  their  interest  were  fruit- 
less. I  was  not  surprised  to  discover  that  no  language  at 
my  command  could  convey  to  them  a  single  idea.  The 
subject  of  their  revery,  therefore,  remains  a  secret. 

I  well  knew,  however,  that  we  were  then  standing  on  a 
part  of  their  former  hunting  grounds  and  that  lodges  of 
their  tribe  had  often  stood  on  that  very  bluff.  Had  I  seen 
my  home  of  many  years  thus  occupied  by  unwelcome  in- 
vaders, I,  too,  might  have  spurned  any  greeting  from  a 
member  of  the  encroaching  race.  Those  Pawnees  cer- 
tainly heard  their  doom  in  the  din  and  rattle  upon  that 
street  where  the  busy  white  man  was  arming  to  go  forward 
through  the  Indian's  country.     They  soon  turned  their 


42  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

backs  on  the  scene  and  I  saw  them  file  again  slowly  west- 
ward toward  the  setting  sun. 

The  time  having  arrived  to  return  to  the  hotel,  and,  if 
possible  to  perfect  my  arrangement  for  a  room,  I  retraced 
my  steps.  The  hotel  at  night  naturally  became  the  ren- 
dezvous for  all  classes  of  people,  if  it  can  be  properly  said 
that  there  was  more  than  one  class.  Most  conspicuous 
were  the  rough  freighters,  stock  traders,  and  prospective 
miners;  and  the  few  rooms  were  crowded  to  overflowing. 
Any  request  for  a  private  room  was  regarded  as  an  indica- 
tion of  pride  or  fastidiousness  on  the  part  of  the  applicant, 
and  was  almost  an  open  breach  of  the  democratic  customs 
of  the  West.  But  I  passed  the  night  without  serious  dis- 
comfort and  doubtless  slept  as  peacefully  as  did  my  com- 
panions. 

There  were,  however,  other  houses  in  Nebrsaka  City  for 
the  entertainment  of  guests.  It  was  another  hospitable 
tavern  and  another  well  remembered  night,  to  which  I 
would  now  briefly  refer.  Accompanied  by  an  older  com- 
panion, I  repaired  to  this  hostelry,  because  of  our  previous 
acquaintance  with  the  proprietor,  who  had  formerly  been 
a  genial  old  farmer  near  my  native  town  and  was  known 
as  Uncle  Prude.  He  promised  to  "fix  us  up  all  right"  after 
supper.  Accordingly  we  stepped  out  under  a  spreading 
oak  tree,  where,  upon  a  bench,  were  set  two  tin  washbasins 
and  a  cake  of  yellow  soap,  while  from  a  shed  nearby  a  long 
towel  depended,  gliding  on  a  roller  and  thoroughly  wet 
from  frequent  and  continued  service, —  all  of  which  instru- 
ments of  ablution  and  detergence  we  exploited  to  the  great- 
est advantage  possible.  Sitting  a  little  later  at  one  of  the 
long,  well -filled  supper  tables,  we  wondered  how  Uncle 
Prude  would  dispose  of  the  great  number  of  people  in  and 
around  his  hostelry.     At  an  early  hour  we  signified  our  in- 


A  RIVER  TOWN  OF  THE  DAY  43 

clination  to  retire,  and  by  the  light  of  a  tallow  candle  were 
escorted  to  a  large  room  known  as  the  ball  room,  so  called 
because  on  great  occasions,  like  the  Fourth  of  July  and 
New  Year's  night,  it  was  used  by  the  country  swains  and 
their  lasses  for  dances.  It  was  now  filled  with  beds,  with 
only  narrow  passages  between  them.  A  wooden  shoe  box, 
upon  which  was  a  tin  washbasin  and  pitcher,  stood  near 
the  end  of  the  room.  A  single  towel  and  a  well-used  horn 
comb  still  boasting  a  number  of  teeth,  were  suspended  by 
strings.  These,  with  four  or  five  small  chairs,  constituted 
the  furnishings.  Some  of  the  beds  were  already  occupied 
by  two  persons,  in  some  cases  doubtless  the  result  of  natu- 
ral selection.  We  took  possession  of  the  designated  bed, 
blew  out  the  light,  and  soon  fell  fast  asleep.  Later  in  the 
night  we  were  awakened  by  the  arrival  of  a  belated  guest, 
who  was  ushered  in  by  the  landlord's  assistant.  Taking  a 
careful  survey  of  the  long  row  of  beds,  the  assistant  point- 
ed to  the  one  next  to  that  which  we  were  occupying  and 
said,  "You  had  better  turn  in  with  that  fellow.  I  see  it's 
the  only  place  left."  Gratified  by  his  good  fortune  in  se- 
curing accommodations,  the  guest  thanked  his  escort,  sat 
down  on  a  chair  and  with  his  foot  behind  his  other  leg  pro- 
ceeded to  remove  his  long  boots.  The  noise  of  his  grunts, 
or  the  falling  of  his  boots  upon  the  bare  floor,  awoke  his 
prospective  companion,  who,  slowly  coming  to  conscious- 
ness, addressed  the  newcomer  with  the  remark  in  kindly 
accents,  accompanied  with  a  yawn,  "Are  ye  thinking  about 
coming  in  here  with  me,  stranger?"  "Wa'll  yes,"  he  re- 
plied, "Prude  sent  me  up.  He  said  you  and  I  had  about 
all  that's  left.  Pretty  much  crowded  here  tonight,  they 
tell  me,"  and  he  was  soon  nearly  ready  to  blow  out  the 
light.  The  man  in  the  bed,  apparently  revolving  in  his 
mind  some  serious  proposition,  added,  "I  think  it's  noth- 


44  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

ing  more  than  fair,  stranger,  to  tell  you  that  I've  got  the 
itch,  and  maybe  you  wouldn't  like  to  be  with  me."  As  a 
fact  that  undesirable  contagion  was  known  to  be  somewhat 
prevalent  in  those  parts.  The  announcement,  however, 
failed  to  produce  the  expected  result.  The  newcomer, 
apparently  unconcerned,  calmly  replied,  "If  you've  got 
the  itch  any  worse  than  I  have,  I  am  sorry  for  you.  I 
guess  we  can  get  along  together  all  right,"  and  then  pro- 
ceeded to  turn  down  his  side  of  the  bed.  The  occupant 
jumped  to  the  floor,  hastily  gathered  up  his  wearing  ap- 
parel and  suddenly  bolted  out  the  door.  With  no  word  of 
comment,  the  last  comer  blew  out  the  light,  turned  into 
the  vacant  bed,  and  enjoyed  its  luxury  the  rest  of  the  night. 
We  were  unable  to  identify  the  strangers  on  the  following 
morning,  but  there  were  many  questionings  among  the 
guests  concerning  the  manner  in  which  a  certain  affection 
may  be  transmitted. 

On  the  following  morning  I  had  little  choice  but  to  fol- 
low the  example  of  other  transients  and  join  the  throng 
upon  the  street.  It  was  not  difficult  to  determine  what 
thoughts  were  uppermost  in  the  minds  of  the  many  men 
whom  I  met  along  that  thoroughfare.  I  heard  negotia- 
tions for  the  purchase  of  mules  and  oxen,  and  contracts 
for  freight,  often  ratified  with  Stygian  sanctity  by  the  in- 
vitation to  "go  in  and  have  something  to  drink."  I  was 
brought  in  contact  with  many  men  from  Missouri  and  Ken- 
tucky. In  negotiating  for  a  small  purchase,  the  price 
named  by  the  seller  was  two  bits.  "What  is  two  bits?"  I 
asked.  The  gentleman  from  Pike  County,  Missouri,  ap- 
peared to  be  surprised  when  my  ignorance  was  revealed. 
After  he  had  enlightened  me,  I  found  him  to  be  equally 
dense  when  I  proposed  to  give  two  shillings  for  the  article, 


A  RI\  ER  TOWN  OF  THE  DAY  45 

the  shilling  of  twelve  and  a  half  cents  being  then  a  common 
measure  of  value  in  my  own  state. 

The  signs  over  many  of  the  stores  of  the  town  appealed 
to  the  requirements  of  a  migratory  people,  "Harness 
Shop,"  "Wagon  Repairing,"  "Outfitting  Supplies,"  being 
among  those  frequently  observed.  The  legend  "  Waggins 
for  Sail"  was  of  more  doubtful  and  varied  significance. 
The  symbols,  "Mammoth  Corral,"  "Elephant  Corral," 
and  other  corrals,  indicated  stables  with  capacious  yards 
for  stock,  with  rude  conveniences  which  the  freighter  tem- 
porarily needs  until  he  is  out  on  the  plains.  The  term 
"corral"  was  applied  in  the  West  to  any  enclosure  for 
keeping  stock  and  supplies,  as  well  as  to  the  circle  formed 
by  arranging  the  wagons  of  a  train,  as  is  the  custom  of 
freighters  at  night,  for  their  protection  and  for  other  ob- 
vious reasons.  In  these  regions  the  significance  of  the 
term  widened  so  as  to  include  any  place  where  food  or 
drink  is  meted  out  to  men,  instead  of  to  mules,  and  signs 
bearing  the  word  "Corral"  were  very  common  on  resorts 
of  that  class.  The  sign  "Bull  Whackers  Wanted,"  posted 
in  many  conspicuous  places,  was  well  imderstood  by  the 
elite  of  the  profession  to  be  a  call  for  drivers. 

The  demand  for  firearms  and  knives  seemed  to  be  very 
active.  The  majority  of  men  who  had  recently  arrived 
from  the  East  seemed  to  regard  a  revolver  as  quite  indis- 
pensable, even  in  Nebraska  City.  As  a  fact,  however, 
they  were  equipping  for  the  plains.  The  local  residents 
who  were  busy  in  their  stores  selling  supplies  apparently 
had  no  use  for  revolvers,  except  to  sell  them  as  fast  as  pos- 
sible. 

Near  the  foot  of  the  street  is  the  levee,  where  at  that 
season  of  the  year  many  steamers  arrived  and  departed, 
their  freight  being  discharged  and  transported  to  ware- 


46  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

houses,  whence  the  greater  part  of  it  was  reshipped  by 
wagon  trains  to  the  far  \Yest.  I  went  aboard  one  of 
the  steamers  and  looked  do\>ni  upon  the  scene  of  feverish 
activity.  The  merchandise  was  being  rushed  ashore,  that 
the  boat  might  be  hurried  back  to  St.  Louis,  whence  all 
freight  to  these  towns  was  then  brought.  The  busy  sea- 
son was  brief,  and  time  was  money. 

A  mate  stood  near  the  head  of  the  gangplank  urging  the 
colored  deck  hands  to  move  more  rapidly.  The  fervent 
curses  that  he  hurled  at  the  men  seemed  to  tumble  over 
each  other  in  the  exuberance  of  his  utterance.  While  thus 
engaged,  a  coatless  man  walked  rapidly  up  the  gangplank 
and  with  clenched  fists  approached  the  officer  thus  busied 
with  his  exhortations.  In  threatening  tones  and  manner 
and  with  an  oath  he  notified  the  mate  that  he  had  been 

waiting  for  him  and  now .     The  mate,  anticipating 

the  man's  evident  purpose,  instantly  caught  the  spirit  of 
the  occasion  and  without  awaiting  the  full  delivery  of  the 
threat,  himself  delivered  a  powerful  blow  between  the  in- 
truder's eyes,  Vvhich  unceremoniously  tumbled  him  into 
an  open  hatchway  nearby.  Casting  a  brief  glance  through 
it  into  the  hold,  he  asked  the  visitor  if  there  was  any  one 
else  around  there  that  he  had  been  waiting  for.  The  mate 
then  turned  on  the  deck  hands  and  cursed  them  for  stop- 
ping to  see  the  sport.  The  "niggers"  displayed  their  teeth 
and  smiled,  knowing  that  the  mate  would  have  been  in- 
consolable had  there  been  no  witnesses  to  his  encounter. 

On  the  30th  of  May,  eight  days  after  my  arrival  at  Ne- 
braska City,  our  train  arrived  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river,  and  I  went  over  to  assist  in  the  crossing.  The 
stream  had  overflowed  its  banks  and  night  and  day  on  its 
bosom  a  mighty  drift  of  logs  and  trees  went  sweeping  by. 


A  RR' ER  TOWN  OF  THE  DAY  47 

"River,  O  River,  thou  roamest  free 

From  the  mountain  height  to  the  deep  blue  sea. " 

There  was,  however,  no  tint  on  the  rushing,  roHing  wat- 
ers of  the  chocolate-colored  Missouri  that  could  remind 
one  of  the  ocean  blue. 

The  diary  of  a  journey  such  as  we  embarked  upon  is 
probably  of  more  interest  in  those  features  that  deal  with 
early  western  life  under  then  existing  conditions  than  in 
geological  or  archaeological  observations.  With  this 
idea  in  mind,  I  venture  to  narrate  an  incident  as  it  was 
told  me  on  meeting  our  outfit  at  the  river.  The  train  had 
come  to  a  halt  in  the  village  of  Churchville,  Iowa.  Just 
before  the  order  to  "Rollout,"  was  given,  a  youth  ap- 
parently fifteen  or  sixteen  years  of  age,  approached  and 
expressed  a  desire  to  see  the  proprietor  of  the  expedition. 
Captain  Whitmore  was  indicated  as  that  person.  The 
youth  requested  permission  to  accompany  the  train  to  Ne- 
braska Cit3%  to  find  an  uncle.  The  Captain  cast  glances 
at  the  boy,  whose  fine,  clear  complexion,  delicate  form,  and 
quiet,  unassuming  manners  indicated  that  he  was  probably 
unaccustomed  to  a  life  of  exposure  and  was  hardly  fitted 
to  enjoy  the  rough  experience  of  an  ox  driver.  "Young 
man,"  said  the  Captain,  "I  guess  this  will  be  a  little  too 
severe  for  you;  I  hardly  think  you  will  like  this  kind  of 
travel."  On  being  assured  that  no  fears  need  be  enter- 
tained in  this  matter,  but  that  the  boy  was  not  able  to  pay 
the  high  rate  of  stage  fare,  the  permission  was  finally  grant- 
ed. The  impression  really  made  upon  the  Captain  was 
similar  to  that  made  by  Viola  on  Malvolio,  as  given  in 
Twelfth  Night,  where  he  is  made  to  say : 

"  Not  yet  old  enough  for  a  man  nor  young  enough  for  a 
boy!  as  a  squash  is  before  'tis  a  peascod,  or  a  codling  when 


48         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

'tis  almost  an  apple;  'tis  with  him  in  standing  water  be- 
tween boy  and  man.  He  is  very  well-favored  and  he 
speaks  very  shrewishly." 

The  boy  immediately,  as  if  by  instinct  or  delicacy,  took 
a  position  in  the  train  with  Mrs.  Brown,  the  cook's  wife. 
As  an  assistant  the  youth  did  not  assume  the  fresh  man- 
ners expected  from  the  average  boy  who  is  gifted  with  at- 
tractive features  and  fine  temperament,  but  rode  quietly 
along  from  day  to  day.  In  the  course  of  time  the  Cap- 
tain was  led  to  entertain  a  suspicion  concerning  the  young- 
ster, which  was  finally  embodied  in  a  question  concerning 
his  sex.  Without  hesitation  the  boy  frankly  admitted 
that  he  was  a  girl.  Being  exposed  so  suddenly  and  among 
so  large  a  number  of  men,  she  burst  into  tears,  a  very  natu- 
ral mode  of  expression  among  women. 

Her  story  was  short.  It  was  a  story  of  wrongs  suffered 
at  the  hands  of  a  step-father,  and  of  desire  to  find  an  uncle 
in  the  W^est,  which  she  had  taken  this  method  of  accom- 
plishing. "But  where's  her  hame  and  what's  her  name, 
she  didna  choose  to  tell. "  She  admitted  having  her  prop- 
er apparel  in  her  satchel,  which  was  substituted  for  her 
male  attire  in  the  house  of  a  farmer  nearby.  She  then 
returned  to  the  train  and  finished  her  journey,  keeping 
herself  in  close  company  with  Mrs.  Brown.  I  saw  the 
young  woman  soon  after  meeting  the  train.  She  was 
certainly  a  handsome,  refined,  modest-looking  village  girl, 
not  more  than  nineteen  years  of  age.  We  may  catch  an- 
other glimpse  of  the  young  girl's  life  later. 

There  have  been  but  few  writers  who  have  laid  the 
scenes  of  their  romances  in  the  far  West,  but  there  are 
numerous  bits  of  history,  supplied  by  the  social  life  of  the 
pioneers,  like  this  truthfully-related  incident,  which  the 
pen  of  a  ready  writer  might  turn  into  a  tale  as  beautiful 


WILD    CAT 


A  RIVER  TOWN  OF  THE  DAY  49 

and  interesting  as  that  of  Viola,  who  in  the  rSle  of  page  en- 
acted her  part  and  "  never  told  her  love. " 

On  Saturday,  June  2nd,  additional  crowds  of  people  were 
attracted  to  the  town  by  its  first  election,  at  which  an  op- 
portunity was  offered  tha  people  ^f  the  territory  to  vote 
upon  the  question  of  "State  or  no  State."  We  learned 
later,  that  the  vote  of  the  people  as  might  have  been  ex- 
pected was  in  the  aflBrmative,  but  on  President  Johnson's 
failing  to  approve  the  measure,  statehood  was  for  a  time 
denied  them. 

Our  train  passed  on  through  Nebraska  City  and  camped 
six  miles  westward.  We  discovered  later  that  the  con- 
gestion of  travel  on  the  one  thoroughfare  of  the  town  was 
really  the  result  of  the  lack  of  business.  The  amount  of 
freight  to  be  moved  from  the  river  towns  was  less  than  had 
been  expected,  and  the  shippers  being  unwilling  to  pay 
the  rates  that  had  prevailed  in  former  years,  the  freighters 
were  refusing  to  carry  the  merchandise  and  were  lingering 
in  the  towns  expecting  better  prices. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  days  some  expected  friends  ar- 
rived from  Wisconsin  with  special  merchandise  and  horse 
teams,  and  without  waiting  for  the  ox  train,  it  was  decided 
that  a  few  from  our  party  should  separate  from  the  others 
and  with  horse  teams  proceed  westward  at  once.  Nego- 
tiations with  reference  to  a  common  interest  in  the  mer- 
cantile venture  were  finally  perfected.  We  purchased  the 
supplies  of  provisions  for  our  journey,  and  after  supper,  on 
June  8th,  pulled  out  five  miles  from  the  town  to  our  first 
Nebraskan  camp.  The  sun  had  hardly  set,  closing  the 
long  June  day,  when  our  party,  now  brought  together  for 
the  first  time  on  this  expedition,  found  its  members  all 
rounded  on  the  grass  in  a  prairie  valley  and  half  reclining 
upon  boxes  and  bags,  discussing  the  future. 


50         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

There  was  Peter  Wintermute,  a  powerful,  athletic  young 
man ;  he  was  six  feet  and  three  inches  in  height,  and  his  long 
legs  were  stretched  out  upon  the  grass.  He  was  an  ex- 
perienced horseman,  and  had  a  team  of  four  fine  animals 
with  a  modest  wagon  load  of  merchandise  of  some  value, 
which  it  was  proposed  to  retail  somewhere  in  the  West. 
Paul  Beemer,  his  wagon  companion,  interested  in  the 
venture,  was  a  small,  nervous,  untiring  fellow,  and  a  fine 
shot  with  a  rifle.  This  Peter  and  Paul  had  few  of  the 
characteristics  of  the  Apostles  whose  names  they  bore.  It 
is  written  of  Peter,  the  Disciple,  that  on  one  occasion  he 
swore  and  repented.  I  fail  to  recall  the  occasion  when  our 
Peter  did  not  swear — and  that  is  only  one  of  many  points 
of  dissimilarity. 

In  the  circle  sat  Daniel  Trippe,  another  giant  in  strength 
and  activity,  cultured  and  well  informed  on  current  and 
general  topics,  a  man  of  fine  presence  and  wonderfully  at- 
tractive in  manner  and  appearance.  Noah  Gillespie  was 
financially  interested  with  Dan  in  a  proposed  manufac- 
turing project  in  Idaho.  Our  Daniel,  like  his  great  proto- 
type, was  something  of  a  prophet  and  seer,  indeed  also 
something  of  a  philosopher,  and  his  pronouncements  were 
frequently  invited.  The  similarity  between  our  Noah 
and  the  great  navigator  of  diluvian  days  lay  chiefly  in  the 
fact  that  Gillespie  also  had  met  with  much  success  in  navi- 
gation— while  propelling  a  canoe  in  duck  hunting  on  the 
Wisconsin  lakes.  Moreover,  so  far  as  reported,  the  patri- 
arch drank  too  much  wine  on  but  one  occasion,  whereas 
our  Noah  excelled  greatly  in  tarrying  too  often  at  the 
wine  cup;  but  he  was  a  good  fellow  and  a  valuable  com" 
panion  in  time  of  peril.     Noah  and  Dan  had  a  fine  team. 

A  grand  old  man  was  Deacon  Simeon  E.  Cobb,  who  now 
sat  in  the  circle  upon  an  empty  cracker  box,  which  he  fre- 


A  Rn^ER  TOWN  OF  THE  DAY  51 

quently  used  throughout  the  trip.  He  was  trying  the  life 
on  the  plains  in  the  hope  of  relieving  himself  of  dyspepsia. 
He  had  a  team  and  a  light  wagon  with  personal  supplies, 
including  a  small  tent.  Henry  Rundle  and  Aleck  Freeman 
were  also  in  the  circle.  They  were  vigorous,  hardy  and 
reliable  men  and  they  too  had  a  team.  The  especial  com- 
panions of  the  writer  were  Ben  Frees  and  Fred  Day.  Ben 
was  a  compactly-built  fellow  of  elephantine  strength,  and 
although  only  twenty  years  of  age,  had  been  a  first-lieu- 
tenant in  a  Wisconsin  regiment  before  Richmond  at  the 
surrender.  Fred,  who  was  still  younger,  was  delicate  but 
vivacious  and  buoyant  and  abounded  in  all  those  qualities 
that  make  for  good  fellowship. 

And  now  spoke  Dan,  saying,  "  Boys,  it's  all  right  where 
we  are  now,  but  only  last  summer  on  the  Big  Blue,  only  a 
little  west  of  us,  the  Indians  were  raiding  and  destroyed 
nearly  all  the  stations  from  there  on,  beyond  and  along  the 
Platte.  Keep  your  rifles  in  their  proper  places,  loaded  and 
in  perfect  order."  "All  right,  Dan,"  said  Fred,  "we'll 
keep  'em  loaded  until  we  fire  'em  off. "  Each  of  the  party 
had  in  his  wagon  a  Henry  repeating  rifle  and  plenty  of 
ammunition.  Our  supplies  consisted  chiefly  of  bacon, 
flour,  coffee  and  sugar,  no  available  canned  goods  then 
being  on  the  market.  With  these  preparations,  we  con- 
tinued in  the  morning  out  upon  the  broad  plains. 


CHAPTER  V 

Our  Introduction  to  the  Great  Plains 

"Lives  of  great  men  all  remind  us 
We  can  make  om*  lives  sublime, 
And  departing  leave  behind  us. 
Footprints  on  the  sands  of  time. " 

IT  was  in  the  gray  light  of  the  quiet  early  dawn,  when 
all  members  of  the  camp  except  one  were  in  peaceful 
slumber,  that  these  familiar  lines  of  Longfellow's 
heartening  lyric  were  suddenly  howled  forth  from  the 
interior  of  Fred's  tent.     Coupled  with  the  ill-mated  refrain, 

"Co  chee  co  lunk  che  lunk  chelaly, " 
that  dignified  stanza  had  been  often  sung  by  boys  like 
Fred,  who  persistently  turned  the  serious  things  of  life  to 
levity.  Because  of  frequent  showers  it  had  been  really 
decided  to  make  an  early  morning  start,  if  conditions 
should  prove  favorable.  Ordinarily  Fred  did  not  aspire 
to  catch  the  worm,  and  in  fact,  after  rousing  the  camp 
he  lapsed  back  into  his  blanket  and  was  the  last  man  out 
for  further  service,  in  remarkable  fulfillment  of  the  famous 
Scripture.  He  had  brought  his  companion,  Ben,  to  his 
feet,  who  inflicted  on  him  some  harmless  punishment  for 
his  breach  of  the  peace. 

Aroused  by  Fred's  ill-timed  outburst,  I  poked  my  head 

52 


OUR  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GREAT  PLAINS  53 

outside  my  wagon  cover  and  surveyed  the  situation.  The 
white-covered  prairie  schooners  were  parked  in  a  row,  as 
they  had  been  on  the  preceding  night.  The  two  httle 
tents,  one  of  which  sheltered  the  venerable  deacon,  stood 
side  by  side.  Not  far  distant  our  horses  were  picketed  by 
ropes.  At  this  first  indication  of  human  activity,  the 
faithful  animals  one  by  one  scrambled  to  their  feet,  shook 
their  manes,  and  doubtless  expected  the  usual  supply  of 
morning  oats,  in  which  expectation  they  were  doomed  to 
disappointment,  for  hereafter  they  had  to  make  an  honest 
living  by  foraging  on  the  country.  There  was  sufficient 
light  to  reveal  the  sparkling  of  the  heavy  dew  upon  the 
grass.  Fred's  matin  song  had  accomplished  its  purpose, 
and  many  good-natured  but  vigorous  epithets  were  thun- 
dered toward  his  tent  by  members  of  the  party  as  they 
emerged  from  their  wagons,  and  he  himself  was  finally 
pulled  forth  from  his  lair. 

It  seems  needless  to  state  that  to  some  members  of  our 
party  who  were  early  pioneers  of  Wisconsin,  a  primeval 
forest,  or  a  broad,  virgin  prairie  was  not  an  unfamiliar 
sight.  Nevertheless,  there  was  something  in  the  expanse 
of  the  Nebraska  plains  as  they  then  were,  before  the  farmer 
had  desecrated  them,  that  was  wonderfully  impressive. 
The  almost  boundless  stretch  of  undulating  green  extend- 
ed in  every  direction  to  the  horizon,  at  times  unrelieved 
by  a  single  tree  or  shrub,  and  only  now  and  then  we  ob- 
served the  winding  course  of  some  little  stream  indicated 
by  a  narrow  line  of  small  timber  half  hidden  in  the  valley, 
whose  inclined  and  stunted  growi:h  told  of  the  sweeping 
winds  that  had  rocked  them.  Even  those  thin  green  lines 
were  few  and  far  between. 

Bryant  beautifully  described  this  type  of  scenery  when 
he  wrote  of  the  prairies : 


54  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

"  Lo,  they  stretch 

In  airy  undulations  far  away, 

As  if  the  ocean  in  its  gentlest  swell 

Stood  still,  with  all  its  billows  fixed 

And  motionless  forever." 

We  finally  reached  a  little,solitary  sod  hut,which  a  pioneer 
had  recently  constructed.  Not  another  work  of  man  was 
visible  in  any  direction.  If  Cowper  sighing  "for  a  lodge 
in  some  vast  wilderness"  had  been  placed  in  control  of 
this  sequestered  cabin,  his  ardent  desire  would  have  been 
fully  realized.  It  seemed  as  if  it  might  well  afford  to  any 
one  grown  weary  of  the  wrong  and  outrage  with  which 
earth  is  filled,  a  spot  where  he  might  spend  his  remaining 
days  in  unbroken  peace  and  quietude.  But  no!  this 
cabin  was  but  a  little  speck  in  advance  of  the  on-coming 
tide  of  human  life  whose  silent  flow  we  had  seen  slowly 
but  steadily  creeping  westward  across  the  Iowa  prairies. 
Thousands  of  men  released  from  service  in  the  army  were 
turning  to  the  West  for  homes,  and  the  tens  of  thousands 
of  foreigners  landing  at  the  Atlantic  ports  were  then  as 
now  spreading  over  the  country,  adding  volume  and  mo- 
mentum to  the  westward  movement. 

The  following  night  found  us  beside  a  little  brook,  on  the 
banks  of  which  wild  strawberries  were  abundant.  Our 
horses  were  picketed  on  the  range,  each  being  tied  with  a 
rope  fifty  feet  in  length,  attached  to  an  iron  pin  driven  into 
the  ground,  as  was  the  usual  custom.  Aleck  Freeman,  how- 
ever, concluded  to  tie  the  lariat  of  one  of  his  horses  to  the 
head  of  a  nearby  skeleton  of  an  ox.  In  fact,  Aleck  com- 
mented duly  upon  his  own  sagacity  in  conceiving  that  idea. 
All  went  well  until  the  horse  in  pulling  upon  the  rope,  de- 
tached the  skull  from  the  remaining  vertebrae.     The  ani- 


OUR  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GREAT  PLAINS  55 

mal  seemed  to  be  mystified  on  observing  the  head  approach 
him  as  he  receded,  and  for  a  moment  regarded  it  thought- 
fully and  inquiringly.  Backing  still  further  away,  he 
gazed  with  growing  apprehension  at  the  white  skull,  which 
continued  to  pursue  him  at  a  uniform  distance.  The  horse 
evidently  was  unable  to  comprehend  the  cause  of  this 
strange  proceeding  and,  like  a  child  frightened  at  an  ap- 
parition which  it  does  not  understand,  his  first  impulse 
was  to  escape.  He  therefore  gave  a  vigorous  snort, 
wheeled,  and  with  head  high  in  the  air,  suddenly  started 
southward  toward  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  faster  the 
horse  ran,  the  louder  rattled  the  skull  behind  him.  An 
occasional  backward  glance  of  the  flying  animal  revealed 
to  him  the  same  white  skull  still  pursuing,  and  at  times 
leaping  threateningly  into  the  air  as  it  was  pulled  over  any 
slight  obstruction;  and  thus  they  sped  wildly  away  until 
they  disappeared  from  sight.  x\leck  w^atched  the  affair 
from  afar  with  dismay.  What  could  stop  the  flight  of  this 
Pegasus  but  sheer  exhaustion?  It  was  soon  many  miles 
away.  Securing  another  steed  and  starting  in  pursuit,  he 
too  was  soon  lost  to  view.  In  the  late  hours  of  the  night 
he  returned  to  camp  leading  the  tired  runaway,  and  himself 
too  tired  and  hungry  to  tell  his  story  until  morning.  It 
seems  that  about  seven  or  eight  miles  away  the  skull  had 
caught  in  a  cotton  wood  bush,  which  was  fortunately  on  an 
upward  grade  and  the  speed  of  the  horse  was  temporarily 
slackened.  The  animal  doubtless  believed  that  the  skull 
for  the  moment  had  stopped  its  pursuit,  that  it  also  was 
very  weary.  The  horse  when  reached  was  well  fastened 
and  easily  captured.  Aleck  urged  that  the  Government 
authorities  should  have  cottonwood  bushes  set  out  on  all 
the  hills  of  Nebraska,  and  that  the  heads  of  all  carcasses  on 
the  prairie  should  be  securely  tied  to  the  rest  of  the  skeleton. 


56  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Violent  storms  of  wind  and  driving  rain,  accompanied  by 
terrific  lightning, forced  us  at  noon  to  camp  in  the  mud  beside 
a  swollen  brook.  We  endeavored  to  build  a  fire  in  the  wet 
grass,  for  we  sighed  for  cofi'ee.  The  combined  skill  of  our 
best  hunters  failed  to  start  a  blaze.  We  were  wet  to  the 
skin,  and  our  saturated  boots  with  trousers  inside,  do'v\Ti 
which  the  water  ran  in  streams,  were  loaded  with  black 
Nebraskan  mud ;  for  every  man  had  been  out  in  the  storm 
to  picket  his  horses  securely,  as  they  were  uneasy  during 
the  tempest.  The  few  chunks  of  tough  bread  culled  from 
the  remnant  found  in  the  mess  box  served  but  little  that 
night  to  fill  the  aching  voids. 

Not  far  away  on  a  hill  slope  was  an  unoccupied  frame 
house  not  yet  completed.  This  building,  which  was 
about  twenty -five  miles  west  from  Nebraska  City,  was  the 
last  farmhouse  that  we  passed,  but  even  here  there  was  no 
sign  of  cultivation.  To  this,  as  the  day  was  closing,  we 
plowed  our  way  through  the  mud,  for  the  storms  continued. 
Its  partly  finished  roof  furnished  us  a  welcome  protection 
through  the  follo^vang  stormy  night.  A  peck  of  shavings 
more  or  less  w^as  equitably  distributed  among  the  party 
for  bedding,  but  there  were  no  facilities  for  building  a  fire 
without  igniting  the  structure  itself.  On  the  floor  we  en- 
deavored, with  our  internal  heat,  to  steam  our  garments 
dry.  We  had  previously  observed  a  few  huts  built  of  sod, 
with  roofs  of  the  same  material  laid  upon  poles.  I  ascer- 
tained that  at  least  one  of  those  structures  was  strength- 
ened by  a  framework  of  logs,  but  the  scarcity  of  timber  and 
the  expense  of  transporting  it  from  where  it  was  produced, 
led  to  the  use  of  the  more  available  material.  The  huts 
were  similar  in  appearance  to  many  that  I  have  seen  in 
Ireland,  though  the  fibrous  Irish  sod  cut  from  the  bogs  of 
the  Emerald  Isle  is  more  durable — like  all  else  that  is  Irish  I 


OUR  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GREAT  PLAINS  57 

A  few  ducks  and  plover  had  fallen  before  the  Noachian 
and  were  gladly  appropriated  in  the  mess  department,  but 
we  were  on  the  qui  vive  for  bigger  game.  We  had  been 
tantalized  daily  by  dubious  reports  of  antelope  alleged  to 
have  been  seen  in  the  distance,  and  had  been  anxiously 
watchmg  for  an  opportunity  to  test  our  Henry  rifles  on 
this  elusive  game. 

Paul  Beemer  was  a  veritable  Nimrod,  always  vigilant, 
frequently  scanning  the  horizon  for  signs  of  animal  life. 
Riding  ahead  of  the  wagons,  he  suddenly  announced  the 
discovery  of  antelope  on  a  far  away  hillside.  It  was  a 
long  detour  for  Paul  to  outflank  his  game  and  get  to  the 
leeward  of  it.  "Not  this  time,  Paul,"  said  Dan,  but  Paul 
made  the  attempt,  and  the  airy  creatures,  whatever  they 
may  have  been,  were  quickly  gone  from  his  gaze  like  a 
beautiful  dream.  Noah,  who  claimed  to  have  had  a  good 
view  of  the  animals,  declared  that  they  were  foxes,  but 
Paul  indignantly  replied  that  his  own  verdict  was  abso- 
lutely final. 

After  six  days'  progress  through  storms  and  mud,  we 
crossed  tributaries  of  the  Big  Blue  River,  where  the  preced- 
ing year  numerous  Indian  raids  had  occurred  and  many 
travelers  had  been  massacred.  We  had  not  as  yet  seen  a 
Red  Man  since  we  left  Nebraska  City.  The  sun  was  now 
shining  brightly  on  the  scene  of  the  recent  carnage,  but  we 
discovered  no  trace  of  those  disastrous  struggles  with  the 
savage  warriors  of  the  plains.  I  wandered  off  from  the 
trail  alone.  Not  a  mo\Tng  object  dotted  the  graceful  un- 
dulations of  the  green  prairie,  which  lay  peaceful  in  the 
June  sunlight.  Not  a  sound  came  from  hill  or  valley. 
The  perfect  silence  was  impressive.  It  is  well  now  and 
then  to  be  thus  alone,  where  no  distraction  turns  one's 
thoughts  from  the  serene  face  of  Nature. 


58  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Despite  all  this  apparent  serenity,  we  knew  not  what 
enemy  might  lurk  in  those  unseen  valleys,  which  lately 
were  the  hiding  places  of  bands  of  the  subtle  Sioux.  We 
had  already  perfected  our  organization  for  protection,  as 
was  then  the  practice  with  all  trains  in  the  West.  Each 
man  took  his  turn  standing  guard  at  night,  the  first  watch 
being  until  midnight,  when  the  next  in  order  was  called  to 
remain  on  duty  until  the  cook  for  the  week  was  summoned 
in  the  morning.  Deacon  Cobb  was  excused  from  this 
service,  despite  the  Gospel  injunction  on  all  to  watch  as 
well  as  pray,  as  was  also  the  cook  during  his  week  of  serv- 
ice. 

This  cooking  "proposition"  presented  something  of  a 
problem.  The  training  which  we  had  received  in  domestic 
science  was  rude  and  elementary,  even  compared  with  that 
now  given  in  colleges  for  women.  The  so-called  bread, 
which  was  in  general  the  only  article  that  was  prepared 
and  baked  for  our  use,  was  seldom  fit  for  human  nourish- 
ment. The  flour  was  stirred  with  water.  A  little  short- 
ening and  soda  were  introduced  with  no  well  defined  idea 
as  to  the  proper  quantity  of  each.  This  chemical  com- 
pound was  put  into  a  skillet,  a  cast  iron  pan  having  a  cover 
of  the  same  material,  with  a  short  handle.  It  was  then 
placed  upon  the  open  camp  fire,  which  was  made  of  such 
combustible  substances  as  the  country  afforded,  rarely 
wood.  The  duration  of  the  baking  process  was  regulated 
by  that  inestimable  faculty  which  Yankee  housewives  call 
"gumption."  Few  if  any  of  our  party  were  endowed  there- 
with in  high  degree.  Sometimes  our  bread  was  of  the  con- 
sistency of  putty ;  at  other  times  the  surface  of  the  loaf  was 
burned  to  a  blackened  crisp.  But  we  did  improve  by  prac- 
tice, profiting  by  the  censorious  comments  of  the  disgusted 
eaters  who  for  the  time  w^ere  not  managing  the  mess.     We 


OUR  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GREAT  PLAINS  59 

had  no  vegetables,  milk,  butter,  or  eggs.  Bacon  was  the 
staple  article  of  diet.  The  coffee  was  boiled  in  an  open 
kettle,  and  served  as  black  as  night  and  strong  as  it  was 
black.  The  earth  was  our  table  and  all  our  tableware  was 
tin.  There  were  no  lines  of  caste  by  which  the  cook  w^as 
relegated  to  a  lower  social  level  than  the  banqueters,  and 
if  any  one  should  too  severely  criticise  the  flavor  of  his 
coffee  the  cook  would  be  apt  to  rise  to  the  dignity  of  his 
office,  seize  the  iron  skillet,  and  threaten  to  terminate  the 
existence  of  persistent  grumblers.  And  Deacon  Cobb 
highly  relished  this  diet  of  bread  nearly  as  tough  as  cork 
and  took  it  with  fresh  air  as  a  possible  specific  for  dyspepsia 
and  therewithal  professed  to  be  truly  thankful. 

Later  observations  made  after  we  reached  the  main  line 
of  travel  indicated  that  similar  fare  and  experience  were 
enjoyed  or  endured  by  other  travelers.  It  was  a  matter 
of  common  remark  that  those  who  in  seriousness  did  the 
most  kicking  concerning  the  food  were  such  as  either  drank 
the  most  whiskey  or  did  the  least  work,  yet  it  is  also  true 
that  both  the  mind  and  the  maw  must  be  in  prime  condi- 
tion to  respond  uncomplainingly  at  all  times  to  the  rough 
fare  of  camp  life,  such  as  we  provided.  Very  interesting 
it  was  to  watch  the  rapid  cleansing  of  the  culinary  utensils 
after  breakfast,  for  an  early  start  was  usually  desired. 
There  were  three  methods  of  accomplishing  this  work, 
which  in  our  camp  were  technically  known  as  sanding, 
grassing  and  washing.  The  first  two  processes  were  re- 
garded as  preferable,  chiefly  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  the 
work  involved  could  be  accomplished  with  greater  expedi- 
tion. It  may  be  explained  that  sanding  consists  in  revolv- 
ing the  dish  or  kettle  in  the  soil,  preferably  sand, — which 
is  certainly  an  economical  method.  Grassing  is  simply 
the  use  of  grass  or  any  similar  material  for  the  same  pur- 


60  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

pose.  Washing  is  a  more  complicated  and  laborious 
process,  as  the  water  sometimes  must  be  brought  some  dis- 
tance, and  water  without  soap  fails  to  develop  any  chemi- 
cal affinity  for  the  residuum  of  fried  bacon.  An  occasional 
sanding  kept  the  plates  in  such  excellent  condition  that  at 
times  it  could  be  plainly  seen  or  at  least  gravely  suspected 
that  they  were  tinware.  The  sanitary  condition  of  the 
culinary  department  was  as  good  as  circumstances  would 
permit.  The  provisions  which  may  have  been  cooked  and 
were  being  transported  to  another  camp,  or  articles  which 
had  been  prepared  for  cooking,  were  carried  on  the  tail  end 
of  the  wagon  in  what  was  known  as  the  mess  box,  a  simple 
box  with  a  lid.  No  flies  or  other  insects  were  permitted  to 
enter  the  box  except  such  as  could  pass  through  the  half- 
inch  opening  beneath  the  cover;  and  any  accumulated  dust 
that  had  gathered  upon  the  food  during  the  day's  journey 
was  carefully  shaken  from  it,  at  least  in  good  measure, 

A  short  distance  west  of  the  Big  Blue,  we  made  a  de- 
scent upon  a  village  of  prairie  dogs,  the  first  that  we  had 
seen.  Paul  and  I  quickly  despatched  two  of  the  inhabi- 
tants. Scores  of  the  little  rodents  sat  upon  the  mounds, 
which  were  only  a  few  feet  apart,  marking  the  entrances  to 
their  subterranean  homes,  into  which  many  of  them  would 
instantly  drop  like  a  flash  on  the  slightest  cause  of  alarm. 
These  were  the  alert  and  vigilant  sentinels  which  until  dan- 
ger threatened  sat  upright  and  motionless  upon  their  earth- 
works and  appeared  like  inanimate  objects.  The  heroic  few, 
which  after  an  alarm  faithfully  remained  upon  their  para- 
pets, uttered  frequent  shrill,  short  barks,  each  accompanied 
by  a  vigorous  wiggle  of  their  dark  little  tails.  What  useful 
function  this  wiggling  subserved  I  know  not,  unless  it  was 
a  semaphoric  signal  to  their  comrades  in  the  intrench- 
ments  beneath,  but  the  wiggle  aided  in  making  the  little 


OUR  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GREAT  PLAINS  61 

animals  more  conspicuous  and  therefore  easier  marks. 
The  prairie  dog  villages  in  that  day  frequently  covered 
areas  of  sixty  or  seventy  acres  and  undoubtedly  sheltered 
a  dense  population.  We  frequently  inspected  the  exterior 
of  their  premises,  but  during  that  investigation  all  was  as 
silent  as  a  city  of  the  dead,  and  one  would  hardly  suspect 
that  a  labyrinth  of  corridors  abounding  in  active  life  ex- 
isted beneath  the  surface. 

In  the  middle  of  one  forenoon,  out  upon  that  treeless, 
rolling  prairie,  all  were  riding  lazily  along,  when  someone 
observed  a  covered  wagon  far  off  at  the  right,  just  as  it 
was  descending  behind  a  gentle  slope.  Was  it  possible  that 
there  could  be  another  trail  to  the  North.?  If  there  was, 
it  was  equally  true  that  we  might  be  on  the  ^Tong  course, 
for  we  were  supposed  to  be  steering  for  the  Platte  River, 
which  was  also  in  the  same  direction.  An  investigation 
revealed  the  fact  that  one  of  our  wagons  was  missing. 
Mounting  a  horse  I  rode  rapidly  over  the  prairie  and  in  half 
an  hour  overtook  the  prairie  schooner  which  was  marking 
an  entirely  new  trail  of  its  own  across  the  virgin  green. 
Riding  up  beside  the  horses  and  looking  in  beneath  the 
canvas,  I  discovered  one  occupant,  and  that  was  Uncle 
Simeon  Cobb,  who  in  a  sleep  as  peaceful  as  that  of  child- 
hood was  unconscious  of  the  fact  that  in  his  advanced  years 
he  was  wandering  far  away  from  the  true  path  out  into  an 
unknown  wilderness. 

"Hello,  Deacon,"  I  shouted,  and  the  old  gentleman 
slowly  roused  himself  from  his  slumbers  and  after  rubbing 
his  eyes  looked  out  upon  the  pathless  prairie.  "Well,  by 
George,"  he  remarked,  passing  to  the  extreme  limit  of  his 
profane  vocabulary,  "I  must  have  been  asleep."  His 
horses  being  halted,  I  explained  to  him  how  he  happened 
to  be  discovered.     Our  little  train  was  already  out  of  sight 


62         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

and  he  promptly  admitted  that  he  was  unable  to  tell  from 
which  side  of  the  trail  his  horses  had  turned;  and  the  tracks 
of  his  light  wagon  not  being  distinct  he  could  hardly  have 
retraced  his  course.  The  deacon  was  invariably  calm  and 
self-possessed  and  with  a  keen  sense  of  the  humorous  in 
every  situation.  He  therefore  gravely  stated  that  it 
seemed  providential  that  he  should  be  reclaimed  from  his 
wanderings  in  time  for  lunch.  Having  been  escorted  back 
to  the  train,  it  was  decided  that  in  the  future  he  should  not 
drive  at  the  tail  end  of  the  procession,  as  he  had  done  pre- 
vious to  that  time. 

The  night  of  the  16th  was  glorious  with  a  waxing  moon. 
It  was  my  turn  on  guard  for  the  watch  until  midnight.  As 
I  sauntered  off  toward  where  the  stock  was  picketed,  with 
my  rifle  on  my  shoulder,  my  attention  was  called  to  the  in- 
cessant yelp  of  the  prairie  wolves.  In  my  timid  excur- 
sions into  Greek  mythology  I  had  read  something  of  Or- 
pheus and  his  lyre.  The  recollection  of  the  alleged  power 
of  his  melodies  over  animate  and  inanimate  objects,  led 
me  quietly  to  enter  our  wagon  and  take  out  the  violin  with 
which  I  had  occasionally  whiled  away  an  hour;  and  seated 
on  the  ground  I  drew  the  bow  to  the  best  of  my  ability'. 
The  night  was  so  still  that  the  sound  was  doubtless  carried 
a  great  distance  and  evidently  reached  the  sensitive  ears 
of  numerous  wolves  on  their  nocturnal  prowl.  The  re- 
sponse was  certainly  tremendous.  In  a  few  minutes  I 
had  an  enthusiastic  audience  in  the  not  far  distance,  which 
might  have  been  regarded  as  highly  complimentary  had  it 
not  been  cjuite  so  demonstrative.  Strangely  enough,  the 
music  failed  to  calm  their  spirits  until  I  had  ceased  for  a 
time  to  torture  the  catgut.  Whenever  the  sound  of  the 
instrument  reached  them,  the  din  of  yelps  was  returned 
from  all  points  of  the  compass.     The  prairie  wolves  are 


OUR  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  GREAT  PLAINS  63 

simply  scavengers  and  though  possibly  subject  to  pleasur- 
able emotions  (probably  otherwise  in  the  instance  just 
given)  yet  their  chief  concern  is  to  supply  their  ravenous  ap- 
petites. Like  vultures  they  scent  the  carrion  from  afar,  and 
as  it  was  Paul's  week  to  cook  they  may  have  snifiPed  the 
aroma  of  his  burnt  bacon  wafted  to  their  acute  olfactory 
nerves  through  the  stUl  air  of  the  night.  After  the  camp 
is  vacated,  and  the  wolves  can  find  no  food  in  a  more 
advanced  state  of  decomposition  than  the  few  morsels  which 
the  camper  leaves  behind,  they  will  then  regale  themselves 
on  the  scraps  left  around  the  abandoned  campfire. 

On  the  following  day,  after  crossing  many  deep  gullies, 
we  struck  the  Platte  River  trail  from  Omaha,  which  fol- 
lows near  the  southern  bank  of  that  stream. 


CHAPTER    VI 

The  Oregon  Trail 

WE  were  now  upon  the  most  frequented 
thoroughfare  of  western  transcontinental 
travel,  known  as  the  old  Oregon  trail, 
and  this  course  was  pursued  for  the  suc- 
ceeding two  weeks.  It  was  the  route  taken  by  Major 
Stephen  Long,  who  in  1820  explored  this  valley  as  far  west 
as  the  junction  of  the  North  and  the  South  Platte.  It  also 
appears  to  have  been  followed  by  Captain  E.  D.  Bonne- 
ville and  his  company  in  1832,  and  in  1834  and  1839  by 
Whiteman  and  Spalding,  the  missionaries  to  Oregon; 
also  by  Colonel  John  C.  Fremont  in  1842,  when  on  his 
first  exploring  expedition. 

While  these  western  trails  may  not  have  been  the 
scenes  of  conflict  in  which  numbers  were  engaged  on  any 
one  occasion,  nevertheless,  for  two  generations  they  have 
doubtless  been  the  theatre  of  a  greater  number  of  encoun- 
ters with  Indians  than  have  ever  occurred  in  any  other 
equal  area  of  our  country.  The  reasons  for  this  become 
apparent  on  a  moment's  thought.  The  numerous  tribes 
that  occupied  this  vast  territory  were  in  every  sense  of 
the  word  warriors,  having  had  experience  in  their  peculiar 
mode  of  warfare  in  frequent  conflicts  between  the  tribes. 
The  majority  were  expert  horsemen,     which   peculiarly 

64 


THE  OREGON  TRAIL  65 

fitted  them  for  guerrilla  tactics.  The  California,  Pike's 
Peak,  and  Mormon  settlements  formed  nuclei  for  a  rapidly 
increasing  population,  the  supplies  for  which  were  trans- 
ported chiefly  by  this  thoroughfare  across  the  plains, 
which  until  a  later  date  remained  the  undisputed  home 
of  these  nomadic  tribes. 

The  travel  across  this  broad  stretch  of  Indian  territory 
was  in  the  main  confined  to  a  very  few  well  defined  path- 
ways through  an  open,  unprotected  country  on  which  the 
strength  of  a  traveling  outfit  could  be  fairl^^  estimated  by 
the  enemy  concealed  in  the  many  hiding  places  in  ravines 
intersecting  the  prairie,  so  that  freighter  and  emigrant 
were  exposed  to  unexpected  forays  at  any  moment,  and 
especially  when  the  relations  with  the  Indians  were  not 
entirely  friendly.  It  was  exceedingly  difficult,  at  times, 
for  the  traveler  to  ascertain  with  certainty  what  was  the 
present  spirit  of  any  tribe.  An  unprovoked  wTong  in- 
flicted by  some  one  reckless  white  man  upon  an  Indian 
was  liable  to  be  avenged  by  an  attack  on  some  train,  the 
owners  of  which  were  ignorant  of  the  inciting  cause.  In 
like  manner,  the  insult  of  a  white  by  an  Indian  led  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  tribe  was  hostile  and  on  the  war-path, 
and  the  freighters  governed  themselves  accordingly. 
The  reckless  destruction  of  buffaloes  by  the  whites  was 
the  cause  of  intense  bitterness  on  the  part  of  the  Indians ; 
and  moreover,  the  ill-adjusted  relations  between  our  War 
Department  and  the  tribes,  to  which  we  may  make  future 
reference,  were  not  always  favorable  to  a  friendly  attitude 
on  the  part  of  the  Indian. 

This  Oregon  trail,  however,  as  far  as  it  followed  the 
main  channel  of  the  Platte  River,  had  now  become  a  well- 
traveled,  natural  road.  Because  of  the  fact  that  the 
country  remote  from  this  stream  was  arid  and  devoid  of 


66  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

water  courses,  the  Platte  valley  was  the  only  practicable 
route  for  freighting,  except  the  one  far  south  along  the 
tributaries  of  the  Arkansas. 

On  my  first  opportunity  I  took  a  stroll  back  from  the 
river  to  the  bluffs,  which  were  three  or  four  miles  distant, 
and  which  mark  the  boundary  between  the  valley  and  the 
higher  lands  to  the  south,  with  a  view  to  ascertaining 
if  there  were  any  evidence  of  civilization  beyond.  The 
air  was  wonderfully  clear,  dry,  and  hot.  There  was  a 
marked  contrast  between  this  country  and  the  prairies  of 
Eastern  Nebraska.  The  thin  grass  was  parched  and 
brown,  and  the  surface  of  the  valley  was  barren  and 
apparently  lifeless.  A  solitary  black  buzzard,  poised 
upon  a  carcass  which  I  passed,  added  but  little  of  attrac- 
tive life  to  the  inanimate  scenery. 

Observing  the  skeletons  and  carcasses  of  numerous 
buffaloes  it  occurred  to  me  to  count  those  which  I  might 
pass  on  my  walk  to  the  foothills.  The  number  observed 
near  my  path  reached  nearly  two  hundred.  There  are 
but  few  objects  that  could  be  more  suggestive  of  desolation 
than  were  these  huge,  bleaching  skeletons.  The  killing 
of  the  greater  number  of  these  buffaloes  was  doubtless  a 
result  of  the  vandalism  of  so-called  sportsmen,  who  regard- 
ed even  the  crippling  of  a  few  of  these  noble  animals  as  a 
laudable  achievement,  even  though  the  buffaloes  were 
shot  while  in  a  compact  herd  of  a  thousand  or  more. 
Hundreds  of  thousands  of  their  bodies  were  scattered  over 
the  country,  especially  near  the  river  valleys  of  Kansas 
and  Nebraska,  From  personal  observation,  it  was  evident 
that  a  great  number  of  them  were  not  killed  by  the  In- 
dians, because  the  skins,  which  were  of  value  for  their  own 
uses,  and  for  traffic  with  the  whites,  in  many  instances  had 
not  been  removed. 


THE  OREGON  TRAIL  67 

Later  in  these  records  reference  will  be  made  to  the  vast 
numbers  of  these  valuable  animals,  which  we  saw  further 
South.  In  the  interesting  w  )rk  of  Colonel  Henry  Inman, 
statistics  are  given  concerning  the  number  of  buffaloes 
killed  in  the  thirteen  years  1868  to  1881.  He  states  that 
the  facts  as  \\Titten  were  carefully  gathered  from  the 
freight  departments  of  the  railroads,  which  kept  a  record 
of  the  bones  that  were  shipped;  and  the  quantities  were 
verified  from  the  purchase  of  the  carbon  works  at  various 
points  from  which  was  paid  out  the  money  for  the  bones. 
These  figures  show  that  during  the  period  named  there 
was  paid  out  $2,500,000  for  buffalo-bones  gathered  on 
the  prairies  of  Kansas  alone;  and  at  the  rate  paid  this 
sum  represented  the  skeletons  of  more  than  thirty  millions 
of  buffaloes,  a  number  that  seems  almost  incredible. 
Sheridan,  Custer,  Sully,  and  Inman  report  having  ridden 
in  1868,  two  years  later  than  my  visit,  for  three  consecutive 
days  through  one  continuous  herd  which  must  have  con- 
tained many  millions.  The  writer  had  a  similar  experi- 
ence in  the  autumn  of  1866.  The  wanton  destruction  of 
the  last  of  these  magnificent  and  valuable  animals  is  but  a 
single  illustration  of  the  folly  and  improvidence  of  the 
American  people  in  dealing  with  their  magnificent  natural 
resources,  and  their  disregard  for  the  comfort  and  the  needs 
of  future  generations. 

The  bluffs  on  the  margin  of  the  valley  which  have  been 
already  referred  to,  were  next  ascended.  From  them, 
looking  outward  over  the  high,  roUing,  and  arid  plains 
beyond,  nothing  could  be  seen  except  one  interminable 
brown,  with  hardly  a  shrub  visible,  to  relieve  the  dull 
monotony.  Toward  the  north  and  skirted  by  a  strip  of 
Cottonwood  trees  and  brush,  the  turbid  river  glistened  in 
the  glaring  light,  its  chocolate-colored  waters  bearing  to 


68  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

the  distant  gulf  its  unceasing  tribute  of  clay  and  sand. 
Here  and  there  its  tawny  breast  was  scarred  with  barren 
sand  bars,  but  over  all  the  broad  landscape  nothing  could 
be  discerned  that  was  the  product  of  human  agency  save 
the  distant  trail  near  the  river,  along  which  our  train  was 
lazily  creeping,  like  a  wounded  anaconda. 

Buzzing  around  me,  as  if  seeking  some  companionship 
on  that  lonely  bluff,  was  a  solitary  bee.  For  some  time  I 
watched  its  erratic  movements,  hoping  to  discover  the 
nature  of  its  engagements.  I  could  see  nothing,  except 
here  and  there  a  cactus  or  a  thistle,  from  which  it  seemed 
possible  that  it  could  extract  the  sweets  needed  for  future 
use.  It  was  possibly  an  adventurer  that  had  drifted  off 
as  I  had  done,  from  the  parent  colony.  Bryant  writes  of 
this  busy  insect  in  words  which,  if  applied  to  the  future  of 
this  then  desolate  plain,  seem  prophetic: 

"the  bee" 

"A  colonist  more  adventurous  than  man 
With  whom  he  came  across  the  eastern  deep. 
Fills  the  Savannas  with  his  murmurings, 
And  hides  his  sweets,  as  in  the  golden  age, 
Within  the  hollow  oak.     I  listen  long 
To  his  domestic  hum,  and  think  I  hear 
The  sound  of  that  advancing  multitude 
Which  soon  shall  fill  these  deserts.     From  the  ground 
Comes  up  the  laughter  of  children,  the  soft  voice 
Of  maidens,  and  the  sweet  and  solemn  hymn 
Of  Sabbath  worshippers.     The  low  of  herds 
Blends  with  the  rustling  of  the  heavy  grain 
Over  the  dark  brown  furrows.     All  at  once 
A  fresher  wind  sweeps  by  and  breaks  my  dream, 
And  I  am  in  the  wilderness  alone. " 


THE  OREGON  TRAIL  60 

So  vividly  was  mirrored  in  the  poet's  fancy  the  future  of 
the  Nebraskan  desert.  I  must  confess  my  inabihty,  as  I 
sat  alone  on  the  highest  lump  of  earth  available,  to  have 
in  any  degree  forecast  the  future  of  that  country,  for  I 
would  have  hardly  given  my  jack-knife  for  all  the  land  in 
sight,  with  forty  years'  exemption  from  taxes.  Yet  to  me 
this  waste  was  profoundly  interesting  and  impressive,  not 
unlike  the  great  deserts  of  Africa,  although  I  could  see  in 
it  no  promise  or  potence  of  prosperity.  To  one  who  has 
personally  observed  the  final  reclamation  of  those  broad 
lands,  the  words  of  Bryant  picture  with  wonderful  accur- 
acy the  transformation  that  really  has  taken  place,  and 
my  own  early  observations  now  seem  like  a  dream. 

In  proof  that  my  impressions  were  shared  by  others, 
we  may  quote  the  statement  of  Colonel  William  A.  Phil- 
lips, that  at  the  Wyandotte  convention,  which  was  held 
about  that  time,  the  line  of  the  future  state  of  Nebraska 
was  being  drawn  at  the  100th  meridian,  which  was  sup- 
posed to  be  the  border  of  the  desert  region.  An  attempt 
was  being  made  to  annex  to  it  all  the  land  south  of  the 
Platte,  and  delegates  from  Nebraska  were  in  attendance 
to  urge  it.  One  delegate,  a  Mr.  Taylor,  who  seemed 
thoroughly  penetrated  with  the  annexation  idea,  urged 
that  the  Platte  River  had  a  quicksand  bottom,  and  could 
not  be  forded;  that  it  could  not  be  bridged,  because  there 
was  no  bottom,  for  piers ;  and  that  it  could  not  be  ferried, 
for  want  of  water.  In  short,  in  the  minds  of  many. 
Western  Nebraska,  with  its  river,  its  climate,  and  its 
expanse  of  sterile  soil,  was  of  no  value  except  to  hold  other 
portions  of  the  earth  together.  But  there  lay  the  great 
undeveloped  West,  its  prairies  and  beyond  these  its 
mountains,  an  inert  expanse  ready  to  be  developed  into 
vast  productive  states  rich  in  soil  and  minerals. 


70         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Returning  to  the  train  after  my  long  tramp,  we  lunched, 
and  after  the  usual  noonday  rest  for  the  stock,  mounted 
our  horses  and  proceeded  on  our  afternoon  drive.  We  had 
not  advanced  far,  when  we  saw  that  we  were  approaching 
a  single  covered  wagon  some  distance  ahead,  near  which 
were  riding  two  young  ladies,  and  a  gentleman  of  fine 
appearance.  Ben  and  Fred  commented  with  much  satis- 
faction on  the  agreeable  prospect  of  meeting  two  interest- 
ing girls  in  whom  they  might  find  occasional  companion- 
ship on  the  long  journey  that  lay  before  us. 

The  gentleman  addressed  us  cordially  and  naturally 
inquired  whither  we  were  bound.  As  a  fact,  we  could  not 
state  definitely  what  our  route  would  be  beyond  Julesburg, 
except  that  our  first  objective  point  was  Salt  Lake  City. 
We  learned  that  he  vriih  his  family  was  destined  for  Den- 
ver, where  he  expected  to  follow  his  profession  as  physician. 
He  ventured  to  introduce  us  to  his  daughters,  one  of  whom 
was  a  brunette;  the  other  bore  a  wealth  of  bright  auburn 
hair,  and  was  of  fair  complexion,  except  that  a  little  tan 
and  a  few  freckles,  caused  by  the  Nebraska  sun  and 
breezes,  were  noticeable.  Their  ages  were  between  eigh- 
teen and  twenty-one  years,  about  the  same  as  my  com- 
panions. Fred  was  an  attractive,  cheerful  young  fellow, 
an  agreeable  converser,  and  always  popular  at  home. 
Ben  was  more  vigorous  physically,  and  at  once  impressed 
one  with  his  sterling  qualities  and  good  sense.  So  Dr. 
Brown,  as  we  may  now  call  him,  expressed  pleasure  at  the 
prospect  of  sharing  with  us  the  adventures  of  the  journey. 
We  camped  near  a  ranch  which  a  few  months  before  had 
been  attacked  by  the  Indians. 

Along  this  road,  as  far  as  Julesburg,  these  so-called 
ranches,  strewn  from  eight  to  twelve  miles  apart,  were 
maintained  chiefly  in  the  interest  of  Ben  Holliday's  stage 


THE  OREGON  TRAIL  71 

line,  for  the  care  of  the  horses,  which  were  exchanged  at 
such  stations.  With  few  exceptions,  the  buildings  were 
made  of  adobe  and  contained  two  rooms.  No  attempt 
even  at  simple  gardening  was  made;  in  fact,  we  observed 
no  phase  of  agriculture  along  this  route.  Some  of  the 
buildings  were  partially  surrounded  by  a  wall  built  of 
sods,  as  an  enclosure  for  the  horses.  The  interior  was  for 
the  main  part  a  grog  shop,  vrith.  a  combined  sleeping  and 
cooking  room  attached  at  the  rear. 

On  the  18th  of  June,  when  fully  ten  miles  from  Fort 
Kearney,  the  flag  of  that  post  became  visible  in  the  dis- 
tance, as  we  looked  up  the  level  valley.  Ben  and  Paul 
hastened  in  advance  to  ascertain  where  we  might  camp. 
They  returned  to  meet  us,  with  the  information  that  two 
miles  in  each  direction  from  the  Fort  extended  the  Gover- 
ment  reservation,  and  that  a  notice  had  been  posted  on 
the  wayside  forbidding  the  driving  of  teams  across  that 
property.  On  reaching  these  sacred  precincts,  we  rode 
through  on  horseback  and  discovered  that  there  was 
really  no  fort  at  Fort  Kearney.  There  was  a  small  plaza 
or  park,  bordered  by  cottonwood  trees,  in  the  center  of 
which  stood  the  flagstaff  from  which  floated  the  nation's 
colors;  near  by  were  mounted  two  or  three  small  brass 
cannon;  around  the  plaza  were  built  the  barracks  and 
officers'  quarters,  with  other  buildings  used  apparently  by 
officers.  A  soldier  was  pacing  back  and  forth  before  the 
open  door  of  the  magazine,  and  another  was  performing  a 
similar  duty  in  front  of  the  guardhouse,  from  which  came 
the  notes  of  a  familiar  melody  sung  by  the  recreants  within, 
who  were  making  the  best  of  their  confinement.  The 
only  semblance  of  a  fortification  was  an  adobe  wall  facing 
the  bluffs.  The  fort  was  garrisoned  by  two  companies  of 
the  5th  U.  S.  Volunteers. 


n         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Fort  Kearney  is  the  oldest  white  settlement  in  the 
interior  of  Nebraska,  and  was  named  after  a  general  who 
served  in  the  Mexican  war.  A  station  two  miles  west 
from  the  Government  post  was  dignified  by  the  name  of 
Kearney  City  and  embraced  half  a  dozen  small  adobe 
structures,  each  of  which  was  said  to  be  a  whiskey  dive; 
its  small  population  of  men  and  women  was  apparently 
of  a  worthless  type.  The  spot  was  usually  referred  t )  as 
D  jbytown.     The  post  itself  was  abandoned  long  ag ). 

We  learned  fr  )m  the  provost,  that  by  order  of  the  War 
Department,  no  trains  were  allowed  to  move  westward 
with  less  than  twenty  wagons  and  thirty  armed  men.  As 
yet  we  had  seen  no  Indians,  and  travelers  from  the  W  est 
made  the  same  observation,  but  stated  great  numbers  of 
Indians  were  reported  to  be  in  the  vicinity  of  Laramie, 
where  they  were  being  fed  and  petted  by  Government 
agents  as  preliminary  to  an  effort  to  make  a  treaty.  Many 
travelers  afiirmed  that  the  Indian  agents  were  temporizing 
and  procrastinating,  and  that  some  officers  did  not  desire 
permanent  peace,  believing  that  it  would  make  unneces- 
sary certain  fat  offices  then  existing,  and  would  also  check 
opportunities  for  the  profitable  barter  which  was  being 
conducted  with  the  tribes. 

The  demands  of  these  latter  appeared  to  be  that  the 
Powder  River  country  and  the  Smoky  Hill  route  should 
be  absolutely  abandoned  by  the  whites  and  left  in  the 
undisturbed  possession  of  the  Indians.  The  Red  Man 
could  not  fail  to  recognize  the  fact  that  he  was  losing  his 
most  valuable  hunting  grounds  by  the  encroachment  of 
civilization,  and  the  current  belief  among  the  whites  was 
that  the  Sioux  were  preparing  to  make  trouble.  In  view 
of  the  general  interest  in  the  subject  which  prevailed,  it 
was  natural  for  travelers  to  exchange  views  upon  it  with 


THE  OREGON  TRAIL  7^ 

those  who  might  have  any  new  information;  and  a  stage 
station  ranchman  a  few  miles  from  Kearney  also  gave  us 
his  views  on  the  situation.  This  man,  after  advancing 
some  opinions  concerning  the  personnel  of  the  troops  that 
had  been  sent  for  their  protection  (views  that  were  any- 
thing but  complimentary),  said  that  a  common  expres- 
sion among  those  not  well  informed  was  that  one  white 
man  was  enough  for  ten  Indians.  In  front  of  the  little 
ranch  where  we  then  stood,  he  had  recently  been  witness 
to  the  fact  that  six  Indians  armed  only  with  bows  and 
arrows  had  driven  ten  cavalrymen,  armed  with  carbines 
and  revolvers,  back  into  the  ranch,  where  they  were  sup- 
ported by  a  greater  number  of  troops.  We  asked  if  any 
of  the  soldiers  had  been  wounded.  "Yes,"  he  replied, 
"one  of  them  intercepted  an  arrow  which  fortunately  did 
not  enter  a  vital  part,  but  it  did  penetrate  certain  muscles 
in  his  back,  which  made  it  painful  for  him  to  sit."  The 
action  of  the  troops  was  reported  in  such  glowing  terms 
to  the  Department  by  the  officer  in  command  that  the 
soldier  who  was  shot  in  the  back  and  could  not  sit,  re- 
ceived a  medal  for  his  bravery.  This,  however,  was  not 
a  fair  report  concerning  the  valor  of  our  soldiers  as  a 
whole,  for  before  that  year  ended  some  of  them  performed 
heroic  acts  and  deeds  of  daring  hardly  sm'passed  in  history. 
We  camped  away  from  the  trail,  to  the  west  of  the  post 
and  in  sight  of  the  miserable  huts  of  Dobyto\Mi.  There 
was  but  little  feed  for  the  stock,  yet  we  had  t3  remain. 
It  was  either  at  Dobytown  or  at  the  post  itself,  that  a 
party  of  travelers  who  were  parked  near  us  secured  a  box 
containing  bottles  labelled  "Hostetter's  Bitters."  These 
so-called  stomach  bitters  were  a  widely  advertised  con- 
coction purporting  to  be  a  valuable  tonic  and  a  never 
failing  remedy  for  dyspepsia,  and  all  the  other  ills  that 


74  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

the  stomach,  and  the  inner  man  generally,  is  ever  heir  to. 
If  the  extraordinary  box  said  to  have  been  presented  by 
Zeus  to  Pandora  is  worthy  of  mention  as  a  magazine  of 
innumerable  pent-up  ills,  which  a  girl  unwittingly  turned 
loose  among  men,  then  surely  the  eminent  Dr.  Hostetter 
should  have  a  high  place  in  the  classic  lore  of  the  future, 
as  the  fabricator  of  a  bottled-up  compound,  which  when 
uncorked,  had  wonderful  potentiahties,  not  in  curing  ills 
but  in  raising  the  devil  generally.  As  already  stated,  the 
men  purchased  the  box  of  bitters,  which  (as  an  eye-witness 
I  testify)  was  as  innocent  in  appearance  as  a  box  of  bottles 
of  pepper  sauce.  They  also  used  the  contents  freely  as  a 
beverage,  and  soon  were  raving  drunk.  Having  neither 
tasted  nor  analyzed  this  potent  and  in\ancible  anti-dyspep- 
tic and  gastric  regenerator,  I  know  naught  of  its  pecuMar 
constitution  and  virtue,  but  am  informed  that  its  base  is  a 
poor  grade  of  raw  whiskey  and  is  in  fact  the  concentrated 
extract  of  "drunk."  Having  become  absolutely  delirious 
from  their  potations  of  the  infallible  specific,  the  revel- 
lers returned  to  the  dens  of  Dobytown  and  began  a  season 
of  Saturnalia  which  had  not  ended  when  we  moved  from 
that  camp.  Supplies  of  the  tonic  were  secured  by  another 
party  and  enjoyed  with  similar  results. 

As  we  traveled  on  we  learned  that  the  wonderful  de- 
mand for  this  ner\ane  was  in  some  measure  due  to  the 
convenient  form  in  which  it  was  sold;  and  that  these 
bitters  were  the  element  frequently  used  in  barter  with 
the  Indians,  and  for  which  they  were  ready  to  exchange 
their  most  valued  possessions.  Some  men  wonder  why 
the  Red  Man  is  at  times  so  insane  in  his  brutality.  The 
uncorking  of  bottles  of  bitters  of  this  general  type  has 
caused  more  than  one  of  our  protracted  wars  with  the 
Indians,  and  a  cost  of  millions  of  dollars  to  our  Govern- 


THE  OREGON  TRAIL  75 

ment,  a  fact  that  is  attested  by  incontrovertible  evidence. 
There  were  indeed  other  and  more  notable  causes  of  our 
Indian  wars.  It  must  be  understood  that  the  savages  knew 
nothing  of  our  national  boundaries  made  by  treaty  with 
Great  Britain.  Some  tribes  with  which  we  have  been  at 
war  roamed  freely  on  both  sides  of  that  line.  Every  one 
of  our  territories  from  Wisconsin  to  the  Pacific  has  fur- 
nished scenes  of  Indian  conflicts  with  the  Whites.  Yet 
in  some  way,  Canada  has  avoided  these  expensive  experi- 
ences too  terrible  to  describe.  As  we  follow  our  vagabond 
life  with  the  emigrants,  and  from  time  to  time  see  the 
Indians  in  their  various  encounters,  and  dodge  the  mas- 
sacres that  befall  our  companions,  we  hope  incidentally  to 
discover  some  of  the  reasons  why  our  Government  has 
failed  to  cope  successfully  with  this  problem. 


CHAPTER   VII 

Society  in  the  Wilderness 

LATE  in  the  afternoon  of  June  18th,  when  the  tin 
supper  dishes  had  been  laid  aside  and  the  men 
were  enjoying  their  after-dinner  smoke,  the 
four  closely  parked  groups  of  wagons,  compris- 
ing as  many  camps  separated  from  each  other  by  perhaps 
a  hundred  feet  in  distance,  seemed  for  the  time  to  be  in  a 
condition  of  perfect  serenity.  The  members  of  each  party 
by  itself  were  quietly  awaiting  developments. 

Dan  and  I  strolled  out  toward  the  fort,  and' from  a  dis- 
tance watched  the  movements  of  mounted  men  at  that 
post.  Soon  we  observed  a  long  mule  train  approaching 
from  the  east  beyond  Kearney.  It  halted  for  a  few 
moments,  and  then  like  a  huge  serpent  it  slowly  circled 
round  the  reservation;  and  by  orders  from  the  guards  its 
wagons  were  finally  corralled  beyond  our  camp. 

As  was  the  custom  with  all  large  outfits,  the  train, 
although  moving  in  an  unbroken  line,  consisted  of  two 
divisions.  On  being  ordered  to  corral,  the  head  wagon  of 
the  first  division  made  a  sharp  detour  to  the  right,  followed 
by  the  succeeding  teams,  and  finally  turning  to  the  left, 
that  division  formed  a  great  semi-circle.  The  first  team 
was  halted  at  a  designated  point  at  which  was  to  be  the 
opening  of  the  proposed  corral;  and  each  of  the  mules  of 

76 


SOCIETY  IN  THE  WILDERNESS  77 

the  succeeding  teams  of  that  division  was  made  to  swing 
suddenly  to  the  left  after  bringing  the  great  wagons  rather 
close  together.  On  reaching  the  point  from  which  the 
first  division  made  its  detour,  the  head  team  in  the  second 
division  swung  sharply  out  in  the  opposite  direction,  turn- 
ing again  as  it  advanced  to  meet  the  leading  team  in  the 
first  division,  and  before  stopping,  each  of  the  teams  of  the 
second  division  was  also  made  to  swing  suddenly  toward 
the  center  of  what  became  a  great  circle  or  enclosure  in 
which  all  the  mules  were  unharnessed  and  temporarily 
confined.  This  method  of  corralling  was  universal  with 
western  freighters. 

In  case  of  an  unexpected  attack,  or  for  other  obvious  rea- 
sons a  fortification  of  wagons  was  quickly  made,  with  all 
the  stock  massed  within  the  enclosure,  and  the  work  was 
accomplished  in  the  time  required  for  the  train  to  travel 
its  own  length.  The  immense  wagons  of  this  train  were 
of  the  type  known  as  the  Espenschied,  a  kind  largely  used 
by  the  Government.  They  were  heavily  built,  with  very 
high  boxes  projecting  slightly  both  at  the  front  and  rear, 
like  the  ends  of  a  scow  boat,  and  like  all  wagons  used  on 
the  plains,  were  roofed  with  regulation  canvas  tops  sup- 
ported by  bows.  After  the  three  hundred  or  more  mules 
of  this  train  had  been  unharnessed,  they  were  driven  in  a 
herd  from  the  mouth  of  the  corral  several  miles  from  camp, 
to  a  place  where  they  might  find  some  feed  in  the  valleys, 
there  to  be  guarded  through  the  night  by  herders.  All  the 
processes  in  these  evolutions  were  commonplace  to  any 
plainsman,  but  may  not  be  entirely  familiar  to  modern 
palace  car  travelers. 

There  also  rolled  round  the  Kearney  reservation  closely 
in  the  wake  of  the  big  train,  a  small  outfit  consisting  of 
half  a  dozen  wagons  with  horse  teams.     Under  directions 


78  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

from  the  post,  it  also  camped  on  the  barren  bottom  land 
west  of  the  fort.  There  was,  therefore,  now  camped 
upon  the  arid  plain  beyond  Dobytown  a  sufficient  number 
of  armed  men  and  wagons  to  meet  the  requirements  of 
the  War  Department  for  two  trains.  It  was  accordingly 
ordered  that  the  big  mule  train  should  pull  out  in  the 
morning,  and  the  remaining  outfits  should  unite  and 
follow  in  another  body. 

The  muffled  roar  of  the  hoofs  of  the  galloping  mule  herd, 
urged  on  by  the  yells  of  the  mounted  herders  as  they  were 
rushing  toward  the  corral,  was  the  signal  for  the  beginning 
of  activities  on  the  following  morning.  By  the  aid  of  the 
men  the  animals  were  driven  into  the  enclosure.  The 
vociferous  braying  of  the  mules  mingled  with  the  clamor- 
ous voices  of  the  drivers,  as  each  struggled  to  secure  and 
bring  into  subjection  his  own  big  team  of  eight  or  ten 
mules.  It  was  with  remarkable  celerity  that  the  long- 
eared  animals  were  harnessed  to  their  respective  wagons, 
and  the  command  to  roll  out  was  given  by  the  captain. 
Accompanied  by  the  vehement  shouts  of  the  drivers  and 
the  cracking  of  whips,  the  train  of  forty  wagons  gradually 
uncoiled  itself,  stretching  slowly  out  into  the  road,  and 
in  a  solid  line  perhaps  two-thirds  of  a  mile  in  length 
"trekked'*  westward  in  a  cloud  of  dust. 

The  time  for  our  own  departure  soon  arrived,  and  all 
who  remained  of  the  campers  on  the  plains  of  Dobytown 
were  ordered  to  move  on.  Doctor  Brown's  two  wagons 
and  our  own  teams,  lined  out  in  the  van,  were  followed 
by  the  two  outfits  with  the  Hostetter's  Bitters,  and  the  last 
arrival  was  in  the  rear.  All  were  found  to  be  properly 
armed,  and  all  other  requirements  of  the  Government 
being  satisfied,  we  were  soon  following  the  windings  of 
the  trail.     Among  other  items  of  freight  which  were  being 


SOCIETY  IN  THE  WILDERNESS  79 

transported  by  our  combined  outfit,  was  a  full  wagon  load 
of  whiskey  in  four-gallon  tin-box  cans,  and  another  wagon 
containing  material  for  a  distilling  plant  to  be  used  in 
Idaho. 

The  orders  of  the  War  Department  did  not  provide 
that  after  leaving  any  post  a  train  should  thereafter  con- 
tinue as  a  consolidated  organization.  To  avoid  unneces- 
sary dust,  and  for  other  reasons,  it  was  therefore  mutually 
agreed  among  the  parties  composing  our  train  that  we 
should  separate  at  our  convenience. 

With  love  for  the  country  as  God  has  made  it,  we 
gladly  rolled  out  westward  from  Kearney  City;  away 
from  the  hybrid  civilization,  its  dirty  dives,  its  gambling 
dens  and  gamesters,  who,  like  the  flotsam  on  the  crest  of 
a  rising  flood,  have  too  often  been  upon  the  surface  near 
the  front  of  western  migration,  depraving  and  demoral- 
izing even  the  savages. 

Although  the  writer  has  devoted  much  time  to  travel, 
none  of  his  journeys  has  been  the  source  of  more  pro- 
found interest  than  were  the  first  months  spent  in  those 
broad  areas  of  the  West  in  which  there  were  no  visible 
traces  of  the  white  man's  presence.  The  cities  and  states 
of  America  have  struggled  to  increase  their  population 
by  immigration,  apparently  on  the  theory  that  the  rate  of 
that  increase  was  to  be  the  measure  of  growth  in  the 
happiness  and  prosperity  of  its  people.  When  our  na- 
tional heritage  shall  have  been  partitioned  among  the 
nations  of  the  earth,  and  the  wild,  wooded  hillsides  shall 
have  been  denuded  by  axe  and  fire,  giving  place  for  farms 
and  cities,  then  they  whose  fortune  it  has  been  in  child- 
hood to  roam  through  the  primitive  forests  or  over  the 
yet  free  and  trackless  plains,  would  hardly  exchange  the 
memories  of  those  years  for  a  cycle  on  the  streets  of  Con- 


80         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

stantinople  or  New  York.  Impelled  by  such  sentiment, 
we  soon  separated  from  the  train,  to  the  mutual  protec- 
tion of  which  we  had  been  assigned  by  the  officers  at  Fort 
Kearney,  and  with  the  Browns  took  our  chances  against 
the  Indians. 

As  soon  as  we  were  well  away  from  the  Fort,  I  again 
strayed  out  as  I  often  did  later,  and  with  rifle  upon  my 
shoulder  was  soon  striding  over  the  highlands  south  of 
the  river.  It  was  a  pleasant  diversion  to  get  out  of  the 
level  valley,  which  at  this  point  spread  out  some  miles 
back  to  the  bluffs.  For  a  brief  rest  I  selected  an  eligible 
spot,  from  which  a  wide  view  of  the  surrounding  country 
was  laid  open.  The  atmosphere  was  wonderfully  dry, 
clear,  and  exhilarating,  and  there  seemed  to  be  no  sug- 
gestion of  moisture  either  in  the  air  or  in  all  the  broad 
landscape  except  in  the  muddy  waters  of  the  distant 
Platte.  The  thin  grass,  even  thus  early  in  the  season, 
was  scanty  in  gro^lh  and  brown,  as  if  touched  by  autumn. 

Along  the  banks  of  the  river  further  east  we  had  in 
places  observed  trees,  chiefly  cottonwood,  but  from  the 
bluff  where  I  now  stood,  hardly  a  bush  was  visible  save 
only  upon  the  islands  in  the  river,  nearly  all  of  which, 
except  such  newly  formed  sand  bars  as  from  year  to  year 
are  shifted  by  each  successive  flood,  were  rather  well 
wooded, — I  knew  not,  but  wondered,  why. 

Recalling  to  mind  the  prairies  and  openings  of  the  North 
Mississippi  River  ountry,  I  remembered  that  in  many 
cases  those  prairies  ended  at  the  banks  of  a  stream,  on 
the  other  side  of  which  a  dense  and  extensive  forest  began 
sharply  at  the  water's  edge.  Fox,  Bark  and  other  /ivers, 
as  they  were  sixty  years  ago,  were  fair  illustrations  of  this 
fact,  but  now  even  those  forests  are  gone.  It  seemed  to 
me  that  timber  must  at  some  time  have  grown  upon  all 


SOCIETY  IN  THE  WILDERNESS  81 

those  Nebraska  plains  and  prairies.  The  fact  that  trees 
still  remained  where  protected  by  a  stream  would  indicate 
that  far-reaching  and  probably  repeated  fires  have  swept 
across  those  countries  and  stopped  at  the  shore.  The 
destruction  of  large  areas  of  timber  would  increase  the 
aridity  of  the  climate,  just  as  the  later  cultivation  of 
what  was  once  the  plains  has  caused  an  increase  in  humid- 
ity. 

The  belief  to  which  such  reflections  seemed  to  guide 
me,  that  those  western  plains  were  once  wooded,  was 
strengthened  by  the  discovery  of  large  sections  of  petrified 
wood,  which  I  found  on  the  high  and  now  treeless  land 
farther  west,  apparently  in  situ,  where  they  had  grown. 
jNIy  side-trip  out  upon  these  uplands  was  inspired  quite 
as  much  by  a  desire  to  hunt  game,  as  to  formulate  theories 
concerning  the  prehistoric  conditions  of  the  country. 
Not  strange,  then,  that  I  became  suddenly  interested  in  a 
small  herd  of  antelopes,  which  I  discerned  some  distance 
to  the  southward,  the  first  that  I  had  seen  under  favorable 
conditions.  Knowing  their  senses  of  smell  and  hearing 
to  be  wonderfully  acute,  I  felt  confident  that  no  approach 
could  be  successfully  made  from  the  windward  side,  and 
that  my  movements  must  be  carefully  concealed  if  I 
hoped  to  get  within  reach  of  the  vigilant  animals,  for  the 
Henry  rifle  was  not  a  long  range  gun.  Being  familiar 
with  the  oft  repeated  story,  that  expert  hunters  frequently 
attach  a  bright  red  handkerchief  to  the  top  of  a  ramrod, 
the  other  end  of  which  is  stuck  in  the  ground,  and  that 
this  decoy  will  attract  the  antelope,  I  determined  to  adopt 
that  stratagem.  I  had  a  silk  handkerchief,  as  did  many 
men  in  that  day.  As  repeating  rifles  have  no  ramrods, 
and  no  bush  or  stick  was  available,  I  propped  up  the  gun, 
surmounted  by  the  handkerchief,  upon  a  little  mound  in 


82         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

sight  of  the  game,  and  lying  on  my  face,  concealed  in  a 
slight  depression,  waited  patiently  for  developments.  The 
wary  animals  were  not  enticed  by  the  sham  allurement. 

Any  earnest  hunter  is  willing  to  subject  himself  to  any 
reasonable  humiliation  to  achieve  success.  Therefore, 
upon  my  knees  with  rifle  in  one  hand  I  crawled  abjectly 
for  a  full  hour  over  the  gravelly  soil,  keeping  to  the  lee- 
ward as  much  as  possible.  This  devotional  exercise  was 
continued  until  I  discovered  that  my  trousers  were  worn 
through  to  the  skin,  and  that  the  tissues  were  beginning  to 
yield  to  abrasion,  which  threatened  soon  to  reach  through 
to  the  bones  of  my  knees. 

The  mess  certainly  needed  meat;  therefore  I  adopted 
other  tactics.  Abandoning  the  fruitless  efiForts  to  reach 
the  game  by  stealth,  I  rose  to  my  feet  but  was  instantly 
discovered.  I  sent  two  or  three  shots  at  a  venture  as  the 
little  herd  faced  me,  but  the  bullets  fell  short  of  the  mark, 
and  with  a  few  bounds  the  game  was  over  the  hills  and 
far  away.  It  became  clear  to  me  that  the  capture  of  the 
alert  antelope,  on  the  open  plain,  is  quite  a  different 
undertaking  from  the  shooting  of  deer  in  the  forest.  It 
would  have  been  a  far  greater  pleasure,  and  quite  as  easy, 
to  have  written  that  I  went  back  to  the  trail  for  horses, 
and  again  returned  with  two  fine  antelope  which  were 
proudly  exhibited  amid  the  grateful  plaudits  of  the  ad- 
miring camp! — but  the  statement  would  lack  veracity  if 
not  verisimilitude.  It  is  true,  however,  that  we  did  secure 
several  antelope  later. 

A  description  of  this  out-of-door  life  would  be  incom- 
plete if  it  failed  to  give  at  least  a  glimpse  of  a  certain  type 
of  unanticipated  events,  which  now  and  then  were  un- 
folded in  our  pathway;  exotics  quite  out  of  their  native 
setting,  like  an  oil  painting  in  a  woodshed.     Now,  on  that 


SOCIETY  m  THE  \MLDERNESS  83 

very  night,  Doctor  Brown  had  pitched  his  big  tent  about 
a  mile  south  of  our  camp.  In  the  stillness  of  the  evening, 
we  heard  issuing  from  it  the  sound  of  several  voices  in 
well  rendered  music.  The  familiar  melodies  were  like  a 
letter  from  home  and  in  pleasing  contrast  with  the  yelp- 
ing of  prairie  wolves,  to  which  we  had  grown  accustomed. 

In  the  morning,  when  we  moved  out  into  hne  the 
Bro^\^ls  were  in  advance.  The  ladies  sat  upon  their 
horses  gracefully,  as  Kentucky  girls  usually  do,  using  old- 
fashioned  side  saddles.  The  cow-girl  saddle  even  in  the 
West  appears  then  not  yet  to  have  come  into  use.  Fred 
addressed  the  young  ladies,  expressing  appreciation  of  the 
music  we  heard  on  the  preceding  evening.  They  did  not 
seem  to  have  suspected  that  their  voices  would  be  heard 
at  so  great  a  distance.  One  of  the  boys,  who  rarely 
attempted  to  produce  any  music  (except  now  and  then  a 
rollicking  negro  melody),  spoke  to  the  young  ladies  in 
unqualified  praise  of  the  music  sometimes  discoursed  in 
our  camp,  whereupon  the  Doctor  at  once  invited  us  to 
come  over  that  evening  and  bring  any  noise-producing 
instruments  that  we  might  boast.  With  some  proper  if 
not  necessary  apology  for  the  undeserved  comphment  from 
our  companion,  we  accepted  the  invitation,  stating  that 
we  should  come,  not  indeed  in  hope  of  contributing  any- 
thing of  value  to  the  music,  but  in  the  pleasant  expecta- 
tion of  meeting  Mrs.  Brown  and  also  of  gaining  more 
knowledge  from  the  Doctor,  who  appeared  to  be  a  man 
from  whom  we  might  learn  very  much,  as  he  seemed  to  be 
well  informed  in  botany  and  geology.  Incidentally  (!) 
we  hoped  to  meet  the  young  ladies  again. 

The  regular  evening  chores  having  been  performed,  the 
boys  proceeded  to  shave,  and  otherwise  to  prepare  for  the 
evening    call.     The    bottom  of  their    "pants"    remained 


84  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

tucked  in  their  long-topped  boots,  but  shoeblacking  was  a 
luxury  not  to  be  obtained.  Flannel  shirts  without  coats 
and  waistcoats  were  regarded  as  costume  de  riqueur  for  the 
place  and  occasion.  Thus  attired  we  sauntered  over  to 
the  Browns  just  as  the  sun  was  sinking  in  the  west.  The 
young  ladies  had  put  some  fresh  ribbons  in  their  hair,  and 
were  attractively  dressed  for  such  an  al  fresco  gathering. 
The  wagon  seat  was  placed  upon  the  ground  and  along 
with  some  boxes  and  a  couple  of  camp  chairs  served  us 
admirably.  The  preparations  for  the  evening  entertain- 
ment have  been  described  in  such  detail  solely  that  the 
events  of  the  coming  night  may  be  better  understood. 

We  returned  to  our  camp  at  a  seasonable  hour.  The 
air  of  the  early  evening  had  been  unusually  soft  and  still. 
Fred  having  already  pitched  his  little  tent,  had  turned 
into  it  with  Ben  for  sleep,  while  I  sought  an  eligible  spot 
on  the  open  ground,  and  rolled  up  in  my  blankets.  Not 
long  after  midnight  Paul,  who  was  on  guard,  was  startled 
by  a  vivid  flash  3f  lightning  in  the  southwest.  The 
sleepers  were  aroused,  and  peering  out  from  their  blankets 
saw  signs  of  an  approaching  storm,  for  the  fleecy  clouds, 
which  often  presage  the  coming  tempest  were  rolling  in  a 
threatening  manner.  It  was  thought  prudent  at  once  to 
drive  the  stakes  of  the  tent  more  firmly,  and  tie  down  the 
wagon  covers;  this  done  we  watched  the  rising  clouds. 
We  did  not  wait  long,  for  hardly  ten  minutes  had  passed 
when  the  squall  suddenly  burst  upon  us  with  great  fury, 
accompanied  with  a  deluge  of  driving  rain.  The  wagon 
covers  creaked,  and  in  two  or  three  minutes  the  little  tent 
was  lifted  and  overturned.  The  horses  picketed  near-by 
were  seen  to  run  hither  and  thither  in  alarm,  and  some  of 
them  broke  away.  In  the  midst  of  the  severest  gust,  a 
woman's  voice  in  a  tone  indicating  great  alarm,  came  from 
the  direction  of  the  Doctor's  camp. 


SOCIETY  IN  THE  WILDERNESS  85 

"They  are  in  trouble  over  at  the  Browns,"  said  one. 

"And  why  not?"  was  the  reply,  as  the  tempest  shrieked 
and  the  driving  rain  poured  upon  us.  We  could  now  do 
no  good  service  where  we  were  and  therefore  started 
rapidly  in  the  direction  of  the  Browns'  tent,  shouting,  so 
as  to  be  heard  above  the  roar  of  the  storm,  that  we  were 
coming.  Sure  enough  the  family  had  been  sleeping  in 
their  large  wall  tent,  and  the  squall  had  lifted  it  into  the 
air,  leaving  it  flapping  in  the  wind  and  held  by  one  tent 
pin. 

Everything  that  had  been  within  it  was  drenched  with 
rain.  The  Browns  were  soaked  and  we  were  soaked,  but 
what  was  worse,  the  gale  had  carried  away  upon  its  wings 
many  light  articles  likely  to  be  much  needed  in  the  morn- 
ing. They  had  not  arranged  their  wagons  for  sleeping,  as 
we  had  arranged  ours,  having  relied  upon  their  tents  for 
such  purposes.  There  they  stood  helpless  in  the  driving 
storm,  each  of  the  ladies  wrapped  in  such  blanket  or 
covering  as  she  happened  to  snatch  when  the  tent  was 
lifted  from  over  their  heads. 

Each  flash  of  lightning  revealed  for  an  instant  the  piti- 
able condition  in  which  they  were  left.  But  they  had 
doubtless  passed  through  even  greater  trials  than  this  in 
their  exile  from  their  old  Kentucky  home  during  the  Civil 
War.  When  satisfied  that  the  worst  had  passed,  they 
forced  a  laugh  in  contemplating  their  ridiculous  situation, 
and  proposed  to  climb  into  their  wagon  and  await  the 
dawn.  Mrs.  Brown  suggested  that  possibly  they  had  a 
few  dry  articles  there,  but  in  the  saturated  condition  in 
which  they  all  were,  with  the  water  running  down  their 
wrappings,  they  would  deluge  everything  in  the  wagon. 
We  then  informed  the  Doctor  that  Uncle  Simeon  Cobb, 
one  of  our  party  whom  he  had  already  seen,  and  a  fine 


86  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

old  gentleman,  on  a  slight  cessation  of  the  storm  would 
cheerfully  migrate  to  another  wagon  from  his  own,  an 
arrangement  that  would  afford  all  the  ladies  fair  protec- 
tion until  morning.  The  Doctor,  remarking  that  this 
reminded  him  of  some  phases  of  his  life  in  the  Confederate 
Army,  gratefully  accepted  the  offer.  He  decided  to  go 
with  us,  and  then  return  to  watch  out  the  night  and  protect 
the  family  effects  as  best  he  could.  The  storm  had  nearly 
passed  when  the  little  party  slowly  made  its  way  over  the 
wet  plain  through  the  darkness  to  the  Deacon's  wagon, 
where  Uncle  Simeon  was  safe  and  dry  in  his  double-covered 
prairie  schooner.  He  had  heard  the  crashing  of  the 
thunder  and  the  shrieking  of  the  gale,  and  readily  com- 
prehended the  situation  on  a  brief  explanation.  His 
matches  and  lantern  enabled  him  to  light  his  apartment; 
and  in  the  course  of  time  he  donned  his  waterproof,  and 
came  forth  amid  the  ladies'  expressions  of  deepest  regret 
that  they  had  been  compelled  to  disturb  his  comJort. 
But  they  were  thankful  for  a  harbor  of  refuge. 

It  was  a  great  involimtary  shower  bath  they  had  taken. 
One  end  of  the  Deacon's  wagon  was  wet  in  the  morning. 
When  the  day  began  to  dawn,  the  sky  was  clear  and 
bright.  The  Doctor  then  made  many  trips  between  the 
two  camps.  The  dry  clothes  of  the  ladies  which  he 
excavated  from  the  trunks  in  their  wagon  were  transported 
in  chunks,  here  a  little  and  there  a  little,  but  in  his  clumsi- 
ness and  ignorance  of  woman's  requirements  he  seemed 
unable  to  produce  the  right  articles.  There  were  too 
many  of  one  kind  of  garment  or  too  few  of  another  to 
clothe  his  family  fully,  in  the  conventional  manner.  As  he 
tucked  a  tight  bundle  of  white  or  colored  goods  under  the 
Deacon's  wagon  cover,  after  but  a  moment  of  delay  there 
came  back  through  the  canvas  many  sounds  of  distress 


SOCIETY  IN  THE  WILDERNESS  87 

indicating  the  conviction  that  everything  in  the  trunks 
was  topsy-turvy  and  that  garments  were  strung  along  his 
entire  pathway.  It  was  fully  two  hours  before  a  full 
complement  of  apparel  had  been  transported  the  half  mile 
between  the  camps,  so  tlia'^  the  feminine  members  of  the 
Brown  family  were  able  to  emerge  from  under  the  wagon 
cover.  Scattered  around  in  the  wagon  there  remained  for 
future  rescue  many  mysterious  garments,  diaphanous  or 
bifurcated,  all  entirely  out  of  place  in  the  Deacon's  apart- 
ment, but  possibly  of  some  use  in  the  future  society  Ufe  in 
Denver.  When  the  sun  had  dried  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  these  and  some  others  found  elsewhere  were  col- 
lected, and  the  girls  now^  arrayed  in  town  clothes,  having 
filed  back  to  their  camp  soon  appeared  to  be  taking  an 
inventory  of  what  are  conveniently  termed  dry-goods  but 
which  were  now  very  wet.  In  the  meantime  the  boys, 
jumping  upon  horses,  rode  in  the  direction  taken  by  the 
storm;  and  here  and  there,  caught  upon  stunted  grubs  or 
bushes,  were  found  various  articles.  One  of  the  straw 
hats  had  been  carried  fully  two  miles.  During  the  forenoon 
both  camps  had  the  appearance  of  laundry  establishments, 
a  multitude  of  garments  being  spread  out  to  dry  in  the 
sun. 


CHAPTER  VHI 
Jack  Morrow's  Ranch 

ON  a  following  night  we  camped  on  what  for  the 
lack  of  a  better  word  I  would  term  the  shore 
of  the  so-called  Plum  Creek.  There  was 
naught  in  it  of  what  is  generally  regarded  as 
the  chief  characteristic  of  a  creek,  to- wit,  water;  but  it 
had  one  feature  that  is  proper  for  a  creek,  and  that  was  a 
gully,  which  we  regarded  as  unnecessarily  deep,  but  which 
was  absolutely  dry.  I  was  informed,  no  plums  have  ever 
been  known  to  grow  on  its  treeless  margins.  I  remember, 
indeed,  having  read  in  later  Nebraska  agricultural  reports 
that  twenty  varieties  of  wild  plums  are  native  to  the 
territory,  but  that  they  are  so  similar  one  to  another  that 
none  but  an  expert  can  distinguish  or  classify  them. 
They  may  grow  on  the  river  islands,  though  I  observed 
none  on  our  course. 

Near  the  waterless  creek  was  a  newly  built  stage  station, 
known  also  as  Plum  Creek.  The  station  formerly  on  its 
site  had  been  destroyed  by  the  Indians,  one  in  each  of  the 
two  preceding  years.  Such  was  the  history  of  nearly  all 
the  stations  along  the  Platte. 

A  few  miles  west  of  Plum  Creek,  we  became  satisfied 
that  somewhere  along  there  we  should  cross  the  one- 
hundredth  meridian,  which  had  figured  prominently  in 

88 


JACK  MORROW'S  RANCH  89 

the  literature  of  the  day  as  approximately  defining  the 
border  of  the  American  desert,  beyond  which  undefined 
line  there  was  no  hope  for  the  agriculturist.  Fremont  had 
described  the  country  as  "a  vast,  arid  desert,  impregnated 
with  salts  and  alkali." 

Mr.  Holton,  in  an  address  before  the  Scientific  Club  in 
Topeka,  as  late  as  the  year  1880,  is  reported  to  have  said 
that,  "Commencing  at  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  extend- 
ing eastward  toward  the  Missouri,  and  from  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  to  the  Northwestern  part  of  the  United  States, 
lay  the  great  American  desert  of  thirty  years  ago,"  and,  he 
added,  "the  geographies  of  that  day  were  right." 

As  I  rode  from_day  to  day  far  back  upon  the  uplands, 
I,  too  became  convinced  that  they  were  right. 

"The  stinging  grass,  the  thorny  plants, 
And  other  prickly  tropic  glories. 
The  thieving,  starved  inhabitants 
Who  look  so  picturesque  in  stories," 

about  constitute  the  impression  received  by  one  observer 
Somewhere  along  this  belt  we  certainly  passed  by  slow 
gradation  into  a  still  more  arid  country  having  an  exceed- 
ingly scant  vegetation,  in  which  the  stubby,  spiny,  prickly 
types  were  prominent.  The  buffalo  grass,  having  a  short, 
rounded  blade  resembling  the  needles  of  a  pine  tree,  and 
which  cured  like  hay  in  the  dry  air,  was  very  nutritious 
for  the  stock,  but  even  where  it  grew,  its  small  brown 
bunches  covered  but  little  of  the  soil.  I  have  observed, 
and  it  is  generally  conceded,  that  the  eastern  prairie 
grass  has  of  late  each  year  spread  westward,  because 
"rain  follows  the  plow." 

Across  that  seemingly  forbidding  expanse,  tens  of 
thousands  of  Mormon  emigiants  had  passed,  to  reach 


90         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

another  desert  equally  inhospitable,  where  the  "soil  was 
impregnated  with  salts  and  alkali."  Hundreds  of  trains 
had  transported  the  families  of  gold  hunters  to  California 
and  the  Pike's  Peak  region,  and  now  we  were  watching 
the  tide  of  migration  still  press  westward  along  this  trail, 
but  as  far  as  I  could  discern,  not  one  person  of  all  these 
voyagers  had  deigned  to  pause  and  leave  his  impress  upon 
this  land.  Their  pathway  was  marked  only  by  the 
bleaching  bones  of  horses  and  oxen  that  had  perished  in 
thousands  by  the  wayside;  and  these  bones  were  nearly  all 
that  those  travelers  left  behind.  This  slumbering,  inert 
expanse  must  slumber  on,  until  some  one  shall  find  and 
develop  its  springs  of  fife. 

On  the  evening  of  June  22nd,  our  national  flag  was  seen  in 
the  west,  streaming  out  from  the  staff  at  Fort  McPherson, 
a  post  named  in  memory  of  our  general  who  fell  in  front 
of  Atlanta.  The  station  was  known  also  as  Cottonwood. 
As  we  passed  on  to  where  we  camped  beyond  it,  we  ob- 
served three  small  buildings  made  of  cedar  logs,  also  a 
quartermaster's  building,  and  a  small  barracks  of  the 
same  material.  Three  adobe  barns  were  in  the  rear.  In 
one  of  the  buildings  was  the  sutler's  store,  an  institution 
that  was  always  present  at  every  post,  where  supplies  both 
wet  and  dry  were  obtainable.  The  agreeable  fragrance  of 
cedar  induced  us,  at  a  considerable  sacrifice  of  money,  to 
purchase  a  small  log  to  carry  with  us  for  fuel,  as  we  had 
become  weary  of  being  scavengers  of  refuse  material  for 
our  fires.  On  investigation  we  learned  that  two  companies 
of  U.  S.  Volunteers,  and  two  companies  of  U.  S.  Cavalry, 
were  then  stationed  at  the  post,  for  protection  against  the 
Indians. 

At  night  the  mosquitoes  proved  themselves  to  be  the 
most  ferocious  and  blood-thirsty  creatures  we  had  as  yet 


JACK  MORROW'S  RANCH  91 

encountered.  Hoping  to  secure  some  immunity  from  their 
attacks,  a  few  of  us  decided  to  sleep  in  the  tent  and  in  it 
start  a  dense  smudge  produced  by  some  coarse,  semi- 
combustible  material,  on  the  generally  accepted  theory 
that  those  insects  could  be  driven  out  by  smoke.  While 
this  process  was  going  on,  we  sat  outside  on  the  smoky 
side  of  the  camp,  hoping  there  to  obtain  some  rehef.  As 
additional  protection,  the  smokers  lighted  their  pipes  and 
cigars  in  the  confident  belief  that  their  troubles  were  over 
f3r  a  time;  but  when  we  counted  five  large,  long-legged 
mosquitoes  perched  serenely  upon  a  single  lighted  cigar, 
in  addition  to  the  uncounted  insects  encamped  on  the  face 
of  the  smoker,  we  concluded  that  the  smoke  habit  was  not 
offensive  to  those  impertinent  marauding  pests.  On  ly- 
ing down  in  our  tent  we  were  suffocated  with  the  smoke, 
the  only  chance  for  respiration  being  to  put  our  noses  out 
from  under  the  canvas,  where  they  became  instant  centers 
of  attack  from  fresh  invaders.  There  was  little  sleep  to 
be  had  that  night,  and  we  determined  that,  in  the  future, 
we  should  camp  on  higher  lands  back  from  the  river, 
whenever  it  was  practicable. 

At  this  post,  as  at  Kearney,  a  reorganization  of  trains 
had  to  be  made.  As  illustrating  the  average  composition 
of  these  trains,  from  the  records  made  at  the  post,  we 
found  that  there  preceded  us  in  one  day,  three  trains 
equipped  as  follows : 

Captain  J.  S.  Miller,  42  men,  3  women,  7  children,  33 
oxen,  25  revolvers,  15  guns.     Destination,  Denver. 

Captain  Harmon  Kish,  30  men,  20  ox  wagons,  8  guns, 
23  revolvers.     Destination,  Denver. 

Captain  S.  M.  Scott,  34  men,  32  wagons,  34  revolvers, 
20  guns.     Destination,  Salt  Lake  City. 

This  number  of  trains  in  one  day  was  doubtless  above 
the  average. 


92         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

As  the  result  of  a  conference,  Dr.  Brown  with  his  family 
had  dropped  behind  us  with  another  train  that  would 
afford  better  protection.  Having  been  assigned  to  the 
convoy  of  a  large  outfit,  we  moved  out  with  it  on  the 
following  day,  but  quickly  separated  from  it  and  camped 
twelve  miles  distant  in  the  bluffs  beyond  and  overlooking 
the  ranch  of  the  redoubtable  Jack  Morrow,  concerning 
whom  we  had  heard  many  remarkable  tales.  He  had  been 
reported  as  an  occasional  visitor  to  the  river  towns,  which 
he  painted  a  vivid  red  after  he  had  taken  sufficient  booze 
to  bedim  his  usually  clear  judgment.  We  had  been  in- 
formed in  Nebraska  City  that  when  on  his  recreation  visits 
to  the  river  towns  he  frequently  indulged  in  the  pastime 
of  lighting  his  cigar  with  a  bank  note, — and  no  one  dared 
to  interfere !  If  his  history  were  truly  written  it  would  be 
made  up  largely  of  thrills. 

All  except  Pete  and  the  Deacon  went  down  to  the 
ranch  rather  early,  to  spend  the  evening  with  Jack  and  his 
associates.  The  establishment  was  the  most  extensive 
that  we  saw  on  all  our  travels,  and  consisted  in  part  of  a 
large,  two-story  building,  well  constructed  of  logs.  En- 
tering the  large  room,  which  was  the  business  part  of  the 
ranch,  we  observed  that  it  was  well  stocked  with  staple 
goods  adapted  to  the  requirements  of  emigrants  and  for 
barter  with  the  Indians.  A  few  saddles  were  suspended 
by  their  stirrups  from  pegs  driven  in  the  logs  that  formed 
the  side  walls  of  the  apartment.  Behind  a  solid  rough 
counter  were  barrels  of  sugar  and  other  groceries.  On  the 
shelves  were  articles  of  clothing  of  coarse  material,  also 
piles  of  moccasins,  and  upon  the  floor  a  pile  of  furs,  doubt- 
less received  in  trade  with  the  Indians. 

The  heavy  log  beams  that  supported  the  low  second 
floor  were  exposed,  and  from  over  the  counter  and  near 


JACK  MORROW'S  RANCH  93 

the  side  of  the  room  there  hung  from  the  beams  a  multi- 
tude of  articles,  all  for  sale  or  exchange.  Half  a  dozen 
men  were  lounging  in  the  room,  and  one  of  Morrow's 
assistants  was  sitting  upon  the  wide  lower  shelf  with  his 
feet  upon  the  counter.  As  no  traders  were  in  the  store, 
there  was  a  free  and  easy  "nothing  doing"  atmosphere 
pervading  the  establishment. 

Soon  after  our  arrival.  Jack  entered  the  room  from  a 
side  door.  On  his  first  appearance  he  impressed  us  with 
the  conviction  that  he  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary 
power;  and  the  effect  of  his  entry  upon  all  who  were  in  the 
room  indicated  that  he  was  a  leader  of  men.  His  striking 
personality  would  attract  attention  in  any  company. 
His  nose,  which  was  strongly  prominent,  was  decidedly 
aquiline;  his  eyes  were  small  and  bright;  and  a  face  is 
rarely  seen  that  would  so  quickly  suggest  that  of  an 
eagle.  Comporting  perfectly  with  the  quick  and  penetrat- 
ing glance  of  his  eyes,  his  athletic  frame  seemed  to  be 
closely  knit;  he  was  vigorous  and  alert.  He  wore  a  negli- 
gee shirt,  a  soft  hat  and,  strapped  to  his  waist,  a  brace  of 
revolvers.  He  observed  us  immediately  on  entering  the 
room,  and  coming  at  once  to  where  we  were  standing  in 
a  group  he  entered  into  conversation,  freely  answering  our 
many  questions.  Later  in  the  evening,  after  having  been 
called  away  for  a  time,  he  returned,  and  having  asked  us 
to  be  seated  he  was  led  to  relate  many  interesting  incidents 
connected  with  his  western  life. 

During  Jack's  absence,  Dan  and  I  took  a  seat  in  another 
part  of  the  room  beside  a  man  who  had  recently  entered, 
and  who,  I  learned,  was  an  afiache  of  the  ranch.  In  the 
course  of  conversation,  he  described  in  these  words  a 
recent  event  which  had  occurred  on  the  ranch. 

"One  afternoon  a  few  weeks  ago,  while  Jack  and  I  were 


94  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

here  alone,  a  band  of  hot-headed  Sioux  crowded  into  the 
ranch  here  to  clean  it  out,  as  they  have  done  at  some 
time  with  almost  every  ranch  on  the  Platte.  I  reckon 
they  had  got  too  much  whiskey  somewhere.  Anyhow, 
you  see  there's  lots  of  things  in  the  store,  and  they  wanted 
to  get  what  they  could  before  they  burned  the  building. 
Jack  saw  just  what  was  coming,  and  backed  up  against 
that  wall  over  there,  and  I  went  and  stood  with  him,  and 
he  was  as  cool  as  a  cucumber.  I  was  just  waiting  to  see 
what  he  would  do,  for  we  had  our  guns  all  right. 

"Their  chief  and  two  of  the  older  Indians  who  knew  Jack 
better  than  the  young  bucks  did,  were  up  pretty  close  to 
us.  The  chief  told  the  bucks  to  let  the  stuff  alone.  One 
of  them  said  he  had  sworn  by  his  fathers  that  he  would 
take  anything  he  wanted.  I  understood  what  he  said, 
you  know,  and  then  the  redskins  began  to  load  up  with 
stuff.  At  this,  the  chief  in  a  flash  drew  his  bow  to  the 
arrow's  head  and  quicker  than  lightning  the  arrow  point 
was  stuck  deep  into  the  Indian's  side,  and  he  dropped  on 
the  floor  in  a  chunk.  The  chief  said  to  the  young  bucks, 
'Take  him  away,  for  have  I  not  said  it.'*'  They  took  the 
body  out  and  Jack  hasn't  been  troubled  any  more.  But 
if  their  chief  hadn't  stopped  the  business  just  then,  there 
would  have  been  carcasses  for  more  than  one  Indian 
funeral,  for  both  Jack  and  me  had  a  gun  in  each  hand  when 
we  were  backed  against  that  wall.  You  know,  when  they 
come  in  such  crowds  they  scare  lots  of  these  fellows,  but 
they  can't  scare  Jack  if  he  has  any  sort  of  a  chance,  and 
he  is  a  great  shot  and  never  gets  rattled.  He's  always 
ready  for  a  fight,  and  he  has  had  lots  of  'em." 

We  were  informed  by  one  of  the  loungers  in  the  ranch 
that  Jack  was  living  with  two  Indian  wives  who  were 
then  in  the  building.     This  statement  was  confirmed  by 


JACK  MORROW'S  RANCH  95 

freighters  whom  we  saw  later.  His  brother,  who  had  an 
Indian  wife,  was  associated  with  him  in  business.  We 
were  not  disposed  to  question  the  rancher  concerning  so 
trifling  a  matter  as  that  of  his  domestic  relations.  It 
would  be  thoroughly  consistent  for  so  eminent  an  Indian- 
American  diplomat  to  adopt  the  most  advanced  customs 
of  the  distinguished  heads  of  the  tribes  with  whom  he 
usually  preserved  pleasant  relations  (for  Jack,  being 
familiar  with  the  language  of  some  of  the  tribes,  had 
served  the  Government  as  an  interpreter  in  Indian  treat- 
ies). Polygamy  was  common  among  the  chiefs  of  many 
western  tribes.  Both  Parkman  and  Catlin  cite  numerous 
cases  of  plurality  of  wives  which  came  under  their  ob- 
servation among  the  Indians.  They  also  mention  in- 
stances in  which  wives  were  sold,  the  almost  universal 
price  being  a  horse,  a  highly  cherished  possession  among 
the  savages.  The  stealing  of  wives  is  also  mentioned  in 
old  writings  concerning  the  tribes.  A  trapper  stated  to 
us  that  any  Indian  might  steal  a  squaw,  and  if  he  chose 
afterwards  to  make  an  adequate  present  to  her  rightful 
proprietor,  then  the  easy  husband,  to  quote  the  language 
exactly,  "for  the  most  part  fell  asleep."  Parkman  refers 
to  Mahto  Tatonka  who,  out  of  several  dozen  squaws  whom 
he  had  stolen,  could  boast  that  he  had  never  paid  for  one, 
but  snapping  his  fingers  in  the  face  of  the  injured  husband 
had  defied  the  extremity  of  his  indignation;  and  no  one  had 
dared  to  lay  the  finger  of  violence  upon  him.  Men  of  the 
West  say  that  an  arrow  shot  from  a  ravine,  or  a  stab  in 
the  dark,  an  act  which  demands  no  great  valor,  and  is 
especially  suited  to  the  Indian  genius,  has  often  proved 
the  sequel  to  the  stealing  of  a  squaw.  The  theft  of  a 
horse,  I  really  believe,  is  regarded  as  a  graver  offense. 
It  was  my  good  fortune  to  learn  from  Jack  Morrow  some 


96         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

facts  concerning  my  former  friend  and  schoolmate,  Billy 
Comstock.  Comstock,  well-known  on  the  plains  as 
"Buffalo  Bill,"  was  descended  from  excellent  stock.  He 
was  born  in  Comstock,  Michigan,  a  town  that  was  named 
in  honor  of  his  father.  As  a  boy  I  remember  him  as  being 
almost  as  dark  in  complexion  as  an  Indian,  and  with  hair 
as  black  as  a  raven.  He  was  slender,  but  firmly  built,  and 
was  a  successful  sprinter,  having  great  endurance.  His 
temperament  well-fitted  him  for  a  roving  life,  and  when 
but  a  youth  he  was  on  the  plains.  He  was  on  the  mount 
of  the  first  pony  express  to  Pike's  Peak,  which  started  on 
April  4,  1859,  and  shared  the  thrilling  experiences  of  the 
daring  young  men  who  on  their  flying  steeds  transported 
the  mails  through  the  Indian  country.  They  exchanged 
their  horses  at  frequent  intervals,  usually  vaulting  from 
one  saddle  to  that  of  a  fresh  horse  held  in  waiting.  As  he 
had  become  familiar  with  the  Indian  dialects,  Comstock's 
services  as  interpreter  were  frequently  secured  by  the 
Government.  He  had  his  headquarters  at  Jack  Morrow's 
ranch  a  considerable  part  of  the  time  during  the  years 
1864  and  1865. 

Two  years  after  our  visit  to  Jack  Morrow,  (to  be  more 
exact,  in  the  year  1868),  Comstock  was  reported  to  have 
been  killed  by  the  Indians  about  fifty  miles  northeast  of 
Sheridan,  Kansas.  Later  information  indicated  that  he 
was  killed  by  Sharp  Grover,  a  noted  scout.  Grover  was 
in  turn  killed  in  a  row  at  Pond  City,  near  Fort  Wallace. 
These  facts  were  confirmed  in  a  later  interview  with 
William  F.  Cody.  Cody,  who  was  a  close  personal  friend 
of  Comstock,  but  somewhat  younger,  was  also  a  frequent 
guest  at  the  Jack  Morrow  ranch.  The  two  were  among 
the  distinguished  characters  on  the  plains. 

Cody    received    his    sobriquet     "Buffalo    Bill"    as   the 


,'t  N 


JACK  MORROW'S  RANCH  97 

result  of  a  contest  with  Billy  Comstock.  It  happened 
that  a  short  time  prior  to  the  death  of  the  latter,  while 
the  work  on  the  Pacific  Railroad  was  being  pushed  in 
Kansas,  the  superintendent  of  construction  was  dependent 
largely  on  the  buffalo  for  meat  for  the  workmen.  Some 
of  the  hunters  failed  to  furnish  the  required  quantity. 
This  condition  resulted  in  putting  these  two  famous  men 
into  competition.  The  number  killed  by  each  in  the  time 
agreed  has  been  given  to  the  -WTiter  by  one  of  the  contest- 
ants. Suffice  it  to  state  that  William  F.  Cody  secured 
the  championship,  WTesting  the  title  from  Comstock,  and 
has  since  been  known  as  Buffalo  Bill.  Cody  has  been  the 
guide  for  princes  and  presidents  on  hunting  and  other 
expeditions  through  the  far  West,  and  with  his  Wild  West 
Show,  so  well  known  throughout  America,  he  has  appeared 
before  the  crowned  heads  of  many  European  countries. 
Not  long  ago  the  writer  discovered  him  in  Rome,  where 
Cody  introduced  the  Italian  King  and  a  royal  party  to 
the  types  of  western  life  which  he  succeeded  so  well  in 
presenting. 

Cody  was  born  in  Scott  County,  Iowa,  in  1845.  He 
was  started  on  his  public  career  by  ColonelJudson, better 
known  as  Ned  Buntline,  a  writer  of  sensational  stories. 
One  of  Ned  Buntline's  stories  has  been  dramatized  under 
the  title  of  "Buffalo  Bill,  the  King  of  Border  Men." 

While  at  the  Junction  house  we  learned  from  Morrow 
that  a  large  band  of  Sioux  was  reported  to  have  come 
down  recently  from  the  North  to  a  point  on  the  river 
twenty-seven  miles  farther  West;  and  from  information 
received  concerning  their  conduct  Jack  was  of  the  opinion 
that  trouble  was  brewing.  Returning  to  our  camp  we 
quickly  secured  our  blankets  and  slept  upon  the  open 
ground,     The  air  was  so  dry,  clear,  and  exhilarating  that 


98         THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

even  Fred's  little  tent  was  not  pitched.  At  about  mid- 
night Pete,  who  was  on  guard,  quietly  crept  to  where 
Paul  and  I  were  sleeping,  and  gently  arousing  us,  whispered 
that  he  had  discovered  figures  moving  round  in  the  shadows, 
and  at  one  time  saw  them  distinctly  as  they  passed  over 
the  hill.  It  was  at  once  decided  that  we  should  quietly 
inform  our  men,  and  then  ascertain  who  were  the  inter- 
lopers. Pete  had  been  unable  by  the  faint  light  of  the 
stars  to  determine  whether  they  were  Indians  or  whites. 

The  stealing  of  stock  was  a  common  pursuit  of  many 
men  of  both  races,  and  the  fact  that  these  intruders  were 
lurking  in  the  valley  led  us  to  conclude  that  the  visitors 
were  thieves.  We  silently  separated,  and  by  prearrange- 
ment  secured  our  rifles;  in  twos  we  noiselessly  circled  the 
valley,  and  Uke  a  net  gradually  closed  in  to  the  center. 

Two  skulking  men  were  evidently  surprised  when  an 
equal  number  of  our  party  confronted  them  and  shouted  a 
signal  to  the  other  boys  to  close  in.  The  intruders  were 
thus  corralled  almost  before  they  were  aware  that  they 
were  discovered. 

"What  the  devil  are  you  after,  creeping  around  our 
camp  at  this  time  of  night?"  said  Pete  sternly  to  the 
strangers,  and  at  the  same  time  he  snapped  the  cock  of  his 
gun.  With  a  stammering  voice  one  replied  that  they 
were  hunting  for  stock.  "  W^hose  stock  are  you  hunting?  " 
was  asked  with  considerable  vehemence.  The  stragglers 
both  swore  that  they  had  lost  some  stock  which  they  were 
trying  to  find.  Our  boys  had  closed  in  upon  the  captives, 
who,  doubtless  knowing  the  unwritten  law  of  the  plains, 
became  manifestly  uncomfortable. 

They  protested  so  fervently  and  made  so  many  contra- 
dictory statements  that  we  were  convinced  of  their  guilty 
intentions.     Dan,  with  vigorous  tones,  informed  them  that 


JACK  MORROW'S  RANCH  99 

if  they  believed  that  any  stock  which  they  might  have 
missed  had  become  mixed  with  our  horses,  they  should 
not  unnecessarily  hazard  their  lives  by  endeavoring  to 
secure  their  property  by  stealth  at  midnight,  because 
stragglers,  who  should  invade  and  lurk  around  an  isolated 
camp  in  that  country  at  that  hour  were  liable  to  be  shot  at 
sight,  as  a  precautionary  measure.  In  the  general  clamor 
there  were  other  similar  arguments  presented.  We  finally 
conducted  the  suspects  to  our  camp  for  further  examina- 
tion, where  by  the  light  of  a  lantern  we  found  them  to  be 
well  armed.  Their  guns  were  temporarily  placed  in 
Paul's  custody.  The  flickering  glare  of  the  lamps  also 
revealed  their  features  and  dress,  and  if  they  were  not 
thieves  they  certainly  had  all  the  prevailing  symptoms. 

It  devolved  upon  us  to  hold  a  council  and  pass  upon  the 
prisoners.  Our  form  of  procedure  was  not  restricted  by 
any  established  code.  The  burden  of  evidence  seemed 
to  be  so  overwhelming  agamst  the  accused  that  the 
majority  promptly  decided  in  favor  of  the  usual  punish- 
ment for  western  horse  thieves.  Deacon  Cobb,  however, 
argued  for  a  commutation  of  the  sentence:  he  urged  that 
the  suspects  should  report  forthwith  at  Jack  Morrow's 
ranch,  should  rouse  him  from  his  slumbers,  and  return 
with  his  certificate  of  their  good  character.  They  were 
reinvested  with  their  guns,  having  assured  us  that  they 
would  conform  to  the  terms,  and  on  Pete's  report  that 
none  of  our  horses  were  missing,  were  allowed  to  start  on 
their  mission;  as  was  expected  they  were  seen  by  us  no 
more. 

At  day-break  on  the  following  morning  while  our  break- 
fast was  being  prepared,  Dan  and  I  were  on  a  bluff  watching 
the  glorious  sunrise.  Before  us  was  the  junction  of  the 
North  and  South  branches   of  the   Platte  River.     The 


100        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

course  of  those  streams  could  be  followed  far  to  the  west, 
and  the  main  channel,  which  we  had  been  following,  was 
glistening  in  the  east.  Near  the  junction,  and  far  below 
us,  was  Jack's  ranch,  visited  the  previous  night,  and  also 
known  as  the  Junction  House, — but  Jack  had  a  wider 
reputation  than  the  forks  of  the  Platte. 

We  observed  that  the  river  valley  had  gradually  nar- 
rowed and  that  the  bluffs  were  nearer  to  the  stream  than 
they  were  further  east.  As  we  were  surveying  the  beauti- 
ful scenery,  we  were  suddenly  startled  by  the  music  of  a 
brass  band  coming  from  behind  a  spur  of  the  bluffs  in  the 
west.  The  booming  of  cannon  could  not  have  been  a 
greater  surprise  to  us.  Changing  our  position  to  another 
spur  in  the  hills,  we  discovered  a  regiment  of  cavalry, 
which  we  learned  later  was  the  11th  Ohio.  It  was  pre- 
ceded by  a  long  mule  train  transporting  baggage  and  some 
invalids.  This  was  followed  by  the  mounted  officers,  who 
immediately  preceded  the  band  wagon.  The  cavalry 
moved  along  further  behind  with  little  regard  for  order. 
In  the  rear  were  about  fifty  Indians  mounted  on  horses, 
riding  rapidly  back  and  forth,  as  if  to  give  an  exhibition 
of  their  superior  horsemanship. 

Possibly,  like  children  they  were  attracted  by  curiosity; 
more  probably,  however,  as  we  concluded  later,  they  were 
following  to  create  the  impression  that  all  was  serene 
with  the  Indians;  and  they  were  undoubtedly  pleased 
to  see  the  troops  moving  eastward  from  their  country, 
and  desired  to  report  their  progress  to  their  chiefs,  whose 
lodges  were  not  far  away  in  the  northwest.  We  learned 
that  the  cavalry  was  on  its  way  home,  to  be  discharged. 
The  band  was  playing  for  the  special  entertainment  of 
Jack  Morrow,  and  continued  from  time  to  time  until  it 
reached  his  ranch,     Jack  would  be  sure  to  open  something 


JACK  MORROW'S  RANCH  101 

attractive  for  the  entertainment  of  the  whole  party. 
Before  the  troops  or  the  Indians  left  Jack's  ranch  we  were 
again  on  the  trail,  rolling  westward. 


CHAPTER  IX 

Men  of  the  Western  Twilight 

JACK  MORROW'S  ranch  was  left  far  behind  us 
before  the  sun  appeared  above  the  hills,  for  we 
had  made  an  early  start,  as  had  been  our  recent 
practice,  so  that  we  might  rest  during  the  heat 
of  the  early  afternoon.  On  the  following  morning  we 
were  on  O 'Fallon's  bluff,  so  named  in  memory  of  Ben- 
jamin O'Fallon,  of  St.  Louis,  who  was  killed  there  by 
Indians.  Topographical  surveys  give  the  elevation  of  the 
valley  below  the  bluffs  as  3,012  feet  above  sea  level,  or 
about  2,000  feet  above  Omaha.  These  surveys  also  show 
the  bed  of  the  Platte  River  to  average  about  300  feet 
higher  than  the  Republican  River  at  the  South,  and 
parallel  streams  at  the  North,  at  the  various  points  in 
the  same  longitude  West.  O'Fallon's  bluff,  however,  is 
not  a  commanding  eminence,  but  seems  to  be  nothing 
more  than  a  good-sized,  irregularly  shaped  sand  dune. 

As  we  were  dragging  along  the  sandy  road  we  observed 
approaching  us  four  somewhat  excited  men,  who  with  a 
two-mule  team,  were  hastening  eastward.  Three  of 
them,  two  of  whom  were  bareheaded,  were  walking  up  the 
grade  as  rapidly  as  possible,  while  the  driver  on  the  wagon, 
although  urging  his  mules  forward,  seemed  unable  to  press 
them  into  a  gait  faster  than  a  walk,  because  of  the  heavy 

102 


MEN  OF  THE  WESTERN  TWILIGHT         103 

road  and  the  ascending  grade.  When  they  halted  at  our 
side,  the  mules  and  the  walkers  were  wet  with  perspiration. 
We  also  stopped,  and  leaving  our  horses,  gathered  round 
the  strangers,  as  it  was  evident  that  they  had  something 
to  communicate.  As  soon  as  they  had  recovered  enough 
breath  after  their  arduous  climb  to  talk  coherently,  one 
of  them,  to  quote  his  own  words,  informed  us  that  the 
Indians  were  raising  the  devil  up  the  river  only  a  few  miles 
away,  and  that  some  of  the  savages  were  moving  eastward. 
Another  ejaculated  that  seven  hundred  Ogallala  Sioux 
had  camped  on  an  island  near  Baker's  ranch,  and  that  the 
ranch  was  invaded  and  would  probably  be  destroyed. 
They  urged  us  to  turn  back  until  we  could  get  a  strong 
escort.  Each  had  some  item  of  information  and  word  of 
counsel. 

Having  obtained  all  possible  particulars  concerning  the 
situation,  we  found  ourselves  very  much  in  the  frame  of 
mind  of  the  average  small  boy,  who,  learning  that  a  fight 
is  on  around  the  corner,  is  disposed  to  rush  immediately 
to  the  center  of  disturbance.  We  had  no  definite  knowl- 
edge concerning  the  whereabouts  of  other  trains  moving 
westward,  with  one  of  which,  according  to  Government 
orders,  we  ought  perhaps  to  have  been  traveling.  There 
certainly  was  no  wagon  in  sight  between  us  and  the  place 
where  the  white  sandy  trail  curved  up  the  slopes  of  the 
bluffs  beyond  and  was  lost  to  sight   some  miles  westward. 

We  threshed  out  the  matter  thoroughly  in  the  presence 
of  our  new  friends,  and  all  members  of  our  party  were 
more  and  more  inclined  to  press  forward  as  rapidly  as 
possible,  fearing  we  might  fail  to  witness  something  that 
might  be  of  interest;  and  all  this  directly  against  valuable 
advice  given  in  the  Book  of  Proverbs.  When  we  thanked 
the  gentlemen  and  bade  them  good-bye,  they  wished  us 


104        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

good  luck  and  a  safe  trip,  and  as  a  final  admonition  urged 
us  to  be  on  our  guard. 

Passing  over  the  western  extremity  of  the  bluffs,  where 
the  trail  begins  to  descend  again  into  the  Platte  valley, 
our  train  came  into  view  of  the  little  house  well  known  as 
Baker's  ranch.  Beyond  it  flowed  the  muddy  Platte,  the 
channel  of  which  could  be  traced  many  miles  of  its  course. 
It  then  appeared  to  the  eye  as  if  divided  into  many  chan- 
nels, which  formed  numerous  islands  or  sand  bars.  Many 
of  these  islands  in  the  Platte  are  almost  as  unstable  as  the 
ancient  Delos,  or  as  the  waters  that  sweep  over  them  in 
flood  time,  appearing  in  one  place  today,  in  another  tomor- 
row, because  the  quicksands  are  always  rolling  and  shift- 
ing under  the  action  of  the  swift  current.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  clayey  formation  in  the  valley  of  the  lower 
Platte,  termed  loess  by  geologists,  seems  throughout  that 
course  of  the  river  to  assume  a  crystalline  form ;  and  as  the 
stream  washes  away  its  shores,  it  carves  out  many  per- 
pendicular banks  having  the  columnar  form  of  basaltic 
cliffs,  but  of  a  neutral  red  color. 

As  from  the  hills  we  looked  with  our  field  glass  to  a  point 
beyond  the  ranch,  we  observed,  and  perhaps  for  the  first 
time  along  the  river,  a  bank  that  was  low  and  easily  ford- 
able,  for  we  saw  two  mounted  Indians  rapidly  enter  the 
stream  and  ride  through  it  to  a  large  island,  which  like  an 
oasis  in  the  desert  was  well  covered  with  verdure.  Upon 
the  island  was  an  Indian  village;  and  beyond  the  island, 
and  beyond  the  further  channel  of  the  sparkling  river,  the 
brown  plain  gradually  sloped  upward  to  the  table-lands 
at  the  North. 

Clustered  rather  closely  together  upon  the  island,  and 
standing  out  clearly  in  the  bright  sunlight,  were  seventy 
white  circular  lodges,  each  tapering  gracefully  to  a  point. 


MEN  OF  THE  WESTERN  TWILIGHT         105 

and  appearing  from  far  away  like  a  crest  of  fringe;  at  the 
top  of  each  lodge,  were  the  lodge  poles,  with  their  small  ends 
crossed  at  the  apex.  Around  and  among  the  tents,  was 
a  scene  of  animation  in  which  warriors,  squaws,  and 
children  confusedly  intermingled  hke  a  legion  of  busy  red 
ants  in  a  city  of  ant  hills,  each  forming  a  moving  dot  of 
bright  color.  All  this  striking  and  beautiful  scene,  as 
more  clearly  discerned  through  the  field  glass,  resembled 
rather  a  motion  picture  than  a  scene  in  real  life,  for  not  a 
sound  reached  us  through  the  still  air  from  that  cluster 
of  Indian  tepees.  As  the  Sioux  lodges  average  about  ten 
occupants  each,  it  appeared  safe  to  estimate  the  population 
of  the  village  at  about  700.  They  were  men  of  the 
western  twilight,  as  fantastically  named  by  Karl  G.  Carus. 

Having  surveyed  rather  carefully  the  general  land- 
scape, our  party  proceeded  observantly  until  we  lined  up 
in  front  of  Baker's  ranch.  We,  who  were  on  horseback, 
alighted,  and  passing  unmolested  by  a  dozen  athletic  red 
warriors,  we  entered  the  open  door.  To  our  surprise  we 
found  the  floor  nearly  covered  with  Indians  reclining  in 
various  postures.  Stepping  over  two  or  three  of  these 
recumbent  forms,  an  act  that  did  not  make  them  move  a 
hair's  breadth,  we  picked  our  way  toward  the  corner  of  the 
room,  where  we  met  the  \'aliant  Lew  Baker,  then  in  the 
prime  of  his  young  manhood.  The  counter  extended 
along  the  east  side  of  the  building,  after  the  fashion  of 
many  country  stores,  and  behind  it  stood  its  owner. 

A  little  woman,  the  wife  of  Baker,  was  also  seated  behind 
the  same  counter  near  a  window  at  the  front  of  the  room, 
somewhat  protected  and  concealed  by  a  desk  upon  that 
end  of  the  counter,  and  was  therefore  not  readily  observed 
by  persons  entering.  In  her  arms  was  their  only  child, 
Elma,  then  four  months  old.     Baker  introduced  us  to  his 


106        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

wife,  with  whom  I  exchanged  a  few  words.  Johnny 
Baker,  the  famous  crack  shot  and  for  many  years  a  star 
feature  as  sharpshooter  in  Buffalo  Bill's  Wild  West  Show, 
was  a  later  scion  of  this  stock.  While  careful  not  to  betray 
any  interest  concerning  the  red  visitors  in  the  ranch,  we 
embraced  the  first  opportunity  to  obtain  from  Baker  all 
information  possible  regarding  the  situation.  We  asked 
if  he  believed  that  any  of  the  Indians  present  would  under- 
stand our  conversation.  He  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that 
they  would  not,  though  as  we  all  well  understand,  our 
manner  and  tone  of  voice  might  suggest  much  to  them. 

Baker,  continuing,  and  turning  his  eyes  toward  the 
ceiling  as  if  conversing  on  some  general  topic,  said,  "Those 
Indians  you  see  lying  around  you  on  the  floor,  entered 
the  room  this  morning  almost  at  the  break  of  day,  taking 
very  nearly  their  present  positions  on  the  floor,  and  not 
one  of  them  since  their  arrival  seems  to  have  spoken  a 
word;  they  have  scarcely  moved."  Nor  had  there  been 
any  expressions  upon  any  one  of  their  faces,  except  the 
same  unchanged  sullenness  that  we  could  then  observe. 
During  our  interview  neither  one  of  us  appeared  to  notice 
the  subjects  of  our  conversation. 

As  is  well  known,  there  is  a  certain  peculiar  strain 
clearly  marked  in  the  character  of  most  Indians  of  the 
warlike  tribes.  If  they  become  offended,  it  is  not  their 
practice  to  remove  their  outer  garments  if  they  should 
happen  to  be  wearing  a  blanket,  and  like  an  impetuous 
Irishman,  at  once  rush  to  the  front  with  clenched  fists,  or 
like  a  volatile  Frenchman,  pour  out  a  volley  of  sacres,  to 
indicate  their  self  confidence,  nor  are  apologies  considered 
an  adequate  satisfaction  for  any  injury.  They  are  not 
loquacious  at  any  time.  They  are  more  disposed  to 
nourish  their  wrath  in  silence  and  like  a  sulky  child  refuse 


MEN  OF  THE  ^VESTERN  TWILIGHT         107 

to  communicate  with  their  enemy,  until  the  opportunity 
comes  when  they  may  strike  an  unexpected  blow  under 
conditions  favorable  to  themselves.  The  Sioux,  indeed, 
at  the  time  of  which  we  are  writing,  had  ample  grounds 
for  resentment,  and  although  the  ranch-man  was  power- 
less to  right  their  wrongs,  they  regarded  all  whites  as 
common  parties  to  the  controversy  yet  unsettled.  Baker 
well  understood  their  temper,  but  did  not  know  when  the 
storm  might  burst.  He  had  placed  his  little  wife  and 
child  where  he  could  best  shield  them,  relying  chiefly  upon 
himself  for  protection;  his  quick  eye  was  ready  at  all  times 
to  detect  the  faintest  hostile  movement;  and  he  declared 
himself  determined  to  defend  his  little  wife  and  baby  to 
the  utmost. 

It  was  a  remarkable  feature  of  the  demonstration  that 
occurred  while  we  were  in  Baker's  ranch,  that  at  intervals 
of  but  a  few  minutes  one  Indian  after  another,  usually  in 
pairs,  silently  entered  the  opened  door,  and  with  a  soft, 
noiseless  tread  of  moccasined  feet,  moved  across  the  room, 
among  or  across  the  impassive  warriors,  who  lay  stretched 
out  upon  the  floor  apparently  unnoticed,  with  whom  as 
far  as  we  could  discern  they  exchanged  no  word  or  sign 
whatever.  On  reaching  Baker,  some  offered  a  trifling 
article  in  exchange  for  others  of  much  greater  value, 
preferably  for  a  side  of  bacon  or  a  bag  of  flour,  which  were 
taken  without  comment,  and  the  articles  so  taken  were 
at  once  carried  away.  In  some  cases  an  Indian  would 
actually  take  possession  of  a  coveted  article  without  any 
payment  in  return,  and  at  once  leave  the  building  with  the 
property;  but  during  all  this  time  the  Red  Men  on  the 
floor  lay  in  silence,  utterly  indifferent  to  all  that  was 
taking  place. 

We  offered  IVIr.  Baker  any  assistance  that  our  small 


108        THE  A\YAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

party  could  afford,  and  urged  him  in  any  event  to  abandon 
his  ranch  and  seek  safety  for  himself  and  family  with 
some  armed  train  He  finally  replied  that  he  would  en- 
deavor to  hold  the  situation  until  some  outfit  should 
arrive,  bound  eastward,  but  such  trains  were  now  far  apart. 
In  the  meantime,  his  stock  of  merchandise  was  being 
rapidly  depleted.  Although  his  ranch  for  that  day  was 
spared  by  the  band  which  was  then  investing  it,  it  was 
twice  attacked  and  destroyed  by  the  Indians  within  the 
ensuing  eighteen  months,  the  particulars  of  which  attacks 
were  furnished  me  by  Johnny  Baker  as  matters  of  family 
history,  although  he  himself  was  too  young  then  to  have 
personal  recollections  of  the  stirring  events. 

As  we  could  be  of  little  service  to  the  beleaguered  young 
rancher  and  his  little  family,  for  which  we  felt  great  solici- 
tude, and  as  he  would  not  go  westward  at  that  time,  we 
pushed  onward  a  mile  beyond,  to  a  point  near  the  river 
bank,  for  our  hmcheon.  Instead  of  picketing  our  horses 
in  the  usual  manner,  we  tied  them  to  the  wagon  wheels 
and  compelled  them  to  forego  their  noon  grazing  until  we 
could  get  our  bearings.  While  the  meal  was  being  pre- 
pared, three  of  the  boys,  Ben  and  Fred  being  two  of  the 
number,  had  the  temerity  to  ford  the  river  and  visit  the 
Indian  village.  What  the  purpose  of  such  a  proceeding 
might  have  been  cannot  now  be  imagined.  Curiosity 
certainly  got  the  better  of  good  sense.  Ben  was  usually 
to  be  relied  upon  as  sane  and  sensible. 

It  proved  easy  for  them  to  ford  the  comparatively 
shallow  but  rather  wide  channel  of  the  river  flowing  be- 
tween the  mainland  and  the  island  where  the  Indian 
lodges  were  rather  closely  grouped  together.  The  Indians 
evidently  had  selected  this  island  for  their  temporary 
abode,  on  account  of  the  grass  with  which  portions  of  it 


MEN  OF  THE  WESTERN  TWILIGHT         109 

were  covered,  the  mainland  being  very  dry  and  furnishing 
but  little  forage  for  stock. 

Our  estimate  of  the  number  of  their  horses  and  ponies 
was  about  600.  These  were  wandering  about  on  the 
island,  many  standing  in  the  water's  edge,  switching  the 
flies  with  their  tails.  The  lodges,  as  was  the  custom  of 
the  plains  at  that  time,  were  made  of  dressed  buffalo 
skins,  which  in  the  distance  looked  comparatively  white. 
They  were  well  made  and  the  skins  were  firmly  sewed 
together.  On  a  closer  approach  the  color  was  seen  to  be 
slightly  tawny. 

The  larger  tents  were  about  twenty-five  feet  in  height, 
generally  with  thirty  poles  supporting  each  tent.  We 
had  been  informed  that  nearly  all  their  lodge  poles  were 
obtained  from  near  the  foot  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and 
plainsmen  stated,  on  the  authority  of  the  Indians,  that 
many  of  them  have  thus  been  in  use  for  a  hundred  years. 
One,  and  perhaps  two,  of  the  large  tents  would  have 
afforded  space  for  forty  persons  to  dine  in  its  shelter. 

Around  the  lodges  were  scores  of  squaws,  many  of  them 
at  that  hour  half  reclining  in  the  doors  of  their  tents,  in 
costumes  generally  quite  decollete.  One  young  girl  was 
observed  whose  apparel  indicated  that  she  was  connected 
with  a  family  of  distinction.  She  wore  a  balmoral  skirt  of 
brilliant  hues,  which  was  possibly  secured  in  some  trade 
by  her  admiring  father  or  lover.  She  was  also  loaded  with 
beads  and  tinsel.  Many  papooses  were  decorated  with 
beads  and  similar  trifles.  These  cheap  articles  with 
brilliantly  colored  calico,  were  often  received  in  exchange 
for  furs  and  robes. 

The  Indian  bucks  were  much  in  evidence  when  we 
first  saw  the  village,  although  but  few  were  there  when 
we  reached  it.     We  concluded  that  many  of  them  had 


110        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

gone  out  on  some  expedition  after  we  had  obtained  our 
first  view  of  the  village  from  O 'Fallon's  bluff.  Our 
party  hardly  felt  at  ease,  as  there  was  a  manifest  lack  of 
cordiality  towards  us  among  the  inhabitants,  which  was 
not  explained  by  our  unfamiliarity  with  their  language; 
our  boys,  therefore,  were  not  obtrusive. 

Having  sauntered  leisurely  among  the  malodorous 
lodges  for  a  time,  we  suddenly  observed  the  rapid  approach 
of  a  large  body  of  mounted  Indians  from  away  beyond 
the  North  side  of  the  river.  They  were  coming  with  such 
headlong  impetuosity  that  we  instantly  concluded  that 
we  might  be  greatly  needed  in  our  own  camp.  According- 
ly we  recrossed  the  river  without  unnecessary  delay  and 
were  soon  relating  our  experiences  around  the  camp  fire 
while  we  ate  a  hasty  lunch.  The  meal  had  hardly  been 
despatched  when  Noah,  on  casting  his  eyes  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  river,  immediately  turned  and  exclaimed, 
"There's  a  band  of  those  devils  fording  the  stream,  and 
I'll  bet  they  are  coming  to  return  that  visit. " 

Sure  enough  they  were,  and  a  social  obligation  is  rarely 
discharged  with  greater  alacrity  and  spontaneity.  They 
were  probably  a  portion  of  the  band  that  first  came  in 
from  the  North,  and  learning  of  the  call  made  at  their 
home  during  their  brief  absence,  they  made  an  instanta- 
neous rush  across  the  stream,  and  immediately  on  touching 
dry  land  on  our  side,  came  on  a  dead  run  for  our  camp. 
On  reaching  it,  their  horses  were  brought  to  a  sudden  stop. 
At  the  same  moment  the  Indians  were  on  their  feet  upon 
the  ground  as  quick  as  a  flash,  and  almost  simultaneously; 
and,  more  quickly  than  it  can  be  told,  they  were  every- 
where in  our  camp,  and  we  seemed  to  be  nowhere.  They 
made  themselves  thoroughly  at  home. 

As  the  result  of  a  common  impulse,  we  also  quickly 


MEN  OF  THE  WESTERN  TWILIGHT         111 

found  ourselves  within  close  speaking  distance  of  each 
other.  None  of  our  party  were  able  to  state  the  exact 
number  of  the  invaders,  but  twenty-five  was  a  later  esti- 
mate. They  were  young,  vigorous  warriors,  all  armed 
with  bows,  arrows,  and  knives;  none  of  them,  so  far  as  we 
observed,  bore  firearms.  Like  all  the  Western  and  North- 
western Indians,  except  the  Sacs,  Foxes,  and  Pawnees, 
their  hair  was  long  and  straight.  They  wore  no  articles 
of  dress  which  had  been  adopted  from  the  whites,  but  they 
presented  themselves  in  the  primitive  simplicity  of  feathers 
and  paint,  limbs  and  breast  being  bare.  One  of  them 
wore  big  feathers.  He  may  have  been  the  great  Chief  Hole- 
in-the-Ground,  and  we  should  have  been  pleased  if  he  had 
stayed  in  the  hole. 

Possibly  we  did  not  greet  them  with  a  cordial  welcome. 
There  was  certainly  no  need  to  extend  them  formally  the 
freedom  of  the  camp.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  this  ceremony 
was  forgotten,  but  it  was  never  missed.  We  were  also 
slightly  embarrassed  and  perhaps  uncommonly  modest. 
The  visitors  came  upon  us  unexpectedly,  like  a  great 
family  of  distant  relations  by  marriage.  There  was  too 
little  prepared  food  in  our  camp  to  furnish  a  collation  that 
would  comport  with  the  dignity  of  the  chief  with  the  big 
feathers,  and  his  minions.  His  highness,  however,  re- 
lieved us  from  any  concern  on  that  score,  for  without 
standing  on  ceremony  he,  and  his  red-skinned  satellites, 
proceeded  at  once  to  help  themselves  to  everything  within 
reach.  This  was  accomplished  vdih  all  desirable  despatch. 
It  was  observed  that  four  or  five  of  the  number  had 
thoughtfully  provided  themselves  with  blankets.  As  the 
day  was  very  warm,  this  was  not  done  for  protection 
against  the  weather,  but,  as  we  discovered  in  a  few  mo- 
ments, with  the  subtler  purpose  of  using  them  as  vehicles 


112        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

for  plunder, — satchels  and  suit-cases  having  not  yet  be- 
come popular. 

The  raid  was  first  made  upon  the  little  food  which  we  had 
in  sight  upon  the  ground.  We  had  not  yet  fully  compre- 
hended their  plans,  but  regarded  the  savages  as  being  a 
trifle  "fresh. "  Fred,  who  like  the  rest  of  us  was  watching 
these  proceedings  with  the  resignation  that  is  born  of 
helplessness,  remarked  to  me,  "If  they  ever  try  to  digest 
any  bread  like  that  which  I  ate  for  breakfast,  they  will 
regret  their  visit."  Fred  was  not  inclined  to  be  solemn 
at  any  time,  but  to  others  as  well  as  to  me  the  situation 
was  rapidly  becoming  serious.  The  cooking  utensils  were 
then  all  hastily  gathered  up  by  the  audacious  freebooters 
and  put  into  their  blankets,  as  if  this  were  a  commonplace 
business  aflfair  that  must  be  quickly  performed.  Simul- 
taneously, and  with  perfect  concert  of  action,  others  pro- 
ceeded to  the  mess  boxes  at  the  rear  of  the  wagons,  and 
rapidly,  and  in  a  confident  and  business-like  manner 
emptied  them  one  by  one  of  their  contents.  About  half 
of  the  invaders  remained  inactive,  but  held  their  bows  in 
their  hands  as  if  to  overawe  us  and,  if  necessary,  defend 
the  raiders. 

The  situation  was  now  becoming  exceedingly  tense. 
The  plan  of  the  Indians  was  rapidly  developing;  it  was, 
first  to  appropriate  our  lighter  effects,  as  we  knew  had 
often  been  done  that  year  in  other  cases,  and  then  to 
follow  this  by  capturing  our  horses,  after  which  we  should 
be  left  destitute,  without  even  a  skillet  or  a  cup  in  which 
to  cook  a  Jack  rabbit.  Our  guns  must  be  saved.  Every 
one  of  our  number  seemed  eager  to  act  at  once,  for  the 
moment  for  resistance  had  certainly  come  now  if  ever. 
In  a  minute  more  it  would  be  too  late. 

It  has  been  written  as  the  experience  of  the  old  fur- 


MEN  OF  THE  WESTERN  TWILIGHT        1 13 

traders,  that  the  timorous  mood  and  dilatory  tactics  of 
many  of  the  emigrants  in  their  relations  with  the  Indians 
often  exposed  them  to  real  danger  and  final  disaster,  and 
that  a  bold  stand  and  self-confident  bearing  often  resulted 
in  safety.  We  were  happy  in  that  the  leaders  of  our  party 
met  the  situation  promptly  and  coolly.  Some  one  said  in 
a  clear  voice,  "Dan,  you  are  Captain."  In  an  instant 
Dan  seemed  invested  with  full  authority,  and  at  once 
with  ringing  voice  gave  the  order,  "Get  j'our  guns  quickly 
and  line  up  here. "  Each  man  had  in  his  wagon,  concealed 
under  a  flap  in  the  side  of  the  cover,  a  good  Henry  rifle, 
which  by  mutual  agreement  for  any  emergency,  was 
always  loaded  with  sixteen  fixed  cartridges  and  always 
in  perfect  condition.  Separating  for  but  a  moment,  and 
in  some  cases  dodging  round  a  redskin,  we  were  again 
together  in  quick  time,  but  now  in  line  with  rifles  to  our 
shoulders. 

Previous  to  that  moment  there  was  a  question  as  to  the 
expediency  of  showing  resistance.  The  bringing  out  of  the 
guns,  however,  meant  war,  unless  the  savages  should 
immediately  withdraw.  Even  Deacon  Cobb,  with  his 
long  white  hair  floating  in  the  breeze,  stood  in  line  bare- 
headed, and  as  cool  as  any  veteran,  with  his  eye  along  his 
rifle  awaiting  a  further  order.  Each  man  also  had  a  re- 
volver in  his  belt,  all  of  which  were  in  sight.  As  a  fact 
there  had  been  considerable  rifle  practice  carried  on  from 
time  to  time  by  our  party,  and  for  short  range  some  of  the 
men  had  proved  good  shots.  The  Henry  rifle,  however, 
was  not  very  reliable  at  long  range  and  the  projectiles 
were  light,  but  for  an  affair  such  as  this  was  likely  to 
be  they  were  simply  perfect,  because  of  their  rapid  fire. 

Our  enemy,  now  at  such  close  quarters,  did  not  fail  to 
take  notice,  but  we  were  surprised  that  our  action  pro- 


114        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

duced  so  little  effect.  It  remained  for  Dan  to  speak  the 
next  word.  Now  Dan  Trippe,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Deacon,  was  the  oldest  member  of  our  party;  and  as  many 
persons  still  well  remember,  he  was  gifted  with  a  mag- 
nificent physique,  a  remarkably  forceful  presence,  and  a 
voice  of  tremendous  power.  Moreover,  in  profanity,  the 
only  element  in  our  language  which  the  Indians  were  said 
to  understand,  his  style  was  vigorous,  yea,  unsurpassed  in 
vehemence,  persuasiveness  and  unction.  His  oaths, 
though  reserved  chiefly  for  emergencies,  were  drawn  from 
a  carefully  chosen  glossary. 

Observing  that  our  challenge  failed  to  check  the  raid, 
before  giving  the  order  to  fire  Dan  quickly  stepped  slightly 
to  the  front,  and  in  a  manner  not  to  be  forgotten,  delivered 
his  call  to  combat.  He  added  force  to  his  defiance  by  his 
vigorous  gestures  and  actions,  all  freely  emphasized  by 
strong,  resonant  vocables  (few  of  which  are  to  be  found 
in  the  school  dictionaries),  and  all  uttered  in  an  unhesi- 
tating, stentorian  voice  that  could  have  been  heard  on  the 
island.  The  purport  of  his  Philippic,  stripped  of  its 
invectives,  was  that  articles  which  the  thieves  had  appro- 
priated must  be  laid  down  instanter,  and  they  themselves 
must  immediately  "vamoose"  the  camp,  otherwise  he 
would  not  be  responsible  for  their  untimely  decease. 
It  was  the  pantomime,  the  gesticulations  and  the  voice  in 
which  Dan  had  few  rivals  that  were  to  produce  conviction 
in  savages  to  whom  our  language  was  as  Latin. 

There  was  a  moment  of  hesitation,  then  a  brief  parley 
among  the  Indians,  through  wliich  we  waited,  and  re- 
mained in  line,  at  the  right  of  which  now  stood  Dan  with 
his  gun.  All  of  a  sudden  the  articles  were  dropped  upon 
the  ground.  The  Indians  mounted  their  horses,  but 
without  the  slightest  indication  of  haste  or  fear  quietly 


MEN  OF  THE  WESTERN  TWILIGHT         115 

rode  in  a  body  about  a  half  a  mile  westward,  and  there 
they  appeared  to  hold  a  brief  conference.  We  carefully 
watched  their  movements,  retaining  our  rifles  as  we  re- 
mained in  line.  In  a  few  minutes  as  if  by  common 
understanding  the  savages  suddenly  started  back  down 
the  road  toward  our  camp  which  they  passed  within  fifty 
feet;  every  horse  was  pushed  to  the  top  of  its  speed,  racing 
one  behind  another  in  single  file.  The  long  black  hair  of 
the  warriors  was  flying  in  the  wind.  At  times  they  were 
riding  on  the  sides  of  their  horses,  each  having  but  one  leg 
and  possibly  the  head  exposed  to  our  view.  The  savage, 
dissonant  yells  which  they  uttered  to  the  limit  of  their 
voices,  as  they  swept  by  us,  as  if  for  a  challenge,  were 
calculated  to  make  the  hair  stand  on  end.  They  did  not 
pause  as  we  thought  they  might  do,  but  sped  by  us  with  a 
rush,  at  the  same  time  indicating  by  their  manner  and 
motions  that  they  dared  us  to  shoot  and  that  they  pro- 
posed even  yet  to  obtain  satisfaction.  It  was  a  dare-devil 
demonstration  and  an  exhibition  of  superb  horsemanship. 
We  were  certainly  tempted  strongly  to  give  them  a  volley, 
but  we  wisely  saved  our  powder.  Their  exhibition  of  cool 
audacity  had  roused  in  us  a  fighting  spirit,  at  least  that  is 
what  we  all  said  after  the  affair  was  over.  We  were  on 
the  verge  of  a  strife  for  which  we  were  well  prepared. 
It  had  been  our  opinion,  obtained  from  various  sources, 
that  Indians  will  not  offer  fight  when  near  their  homes. 
This  is  doubtless  their  general  policy,  but  as  we  had  but 
five  wagons,  they  were  at  first  confident  in  their  superior 
numerical  strength  and  their  a!)ility  to  obtain  speedy 
reinforcements.  Their  purpose  without  doubt  was  to  get 
horses  and  other  property,  and  preferably  without  a 
struggle — but  that  preference  could  not  have  been  over- 
powering.    Indians  were  then  taking  stock  in  large  num- 


116        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

bers  from  emigrants,  a  practice  which  continued  for  several 
months  thereafter. 

The  band  upon  lea^'ing  us,  did  not  slacken  its  speed 
until  it  reached  the  ford.  Unless  we  desired  to  fight,  and 
that,  too,  possibly  at  night,  it  was  clearly  unsafe  for  us  to 
remain  where  we  were,  as  the  band  that  visited  us  could 
easily  secure  large  reinforcements.  Hitching  our  horses 
to  the  wagons  as  quickly  as  possible,  we  immediately 
started  westward  with  the  hope  of  reaching  a  certain 
mule  train  which  we  were  confident  could  not  be  many 
miles  in  advance.  As  our  little  party  followed  the  road 
that  wound  up  the  first  foothills  we  reached,  on  glancing 
backward  as  we  had  frequently  done  since  leaving  the 
last  camp,  we  observed  the  squaws  and  boys  scatter  al- 
most simultaneously  from  the  Indian  village  in  various 
directions.  In  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  it,  the  skin 
coverings  were  removed  from  every  lodge,  and  the  pine 
poles  thus  left  bare  were  instantly  upon  the  ground;  and 
before  we  had  lost  sight  of  the  island,  which  could  not 
have  been  more  than  an  hour,  the  whole  outfit  was  loaded 
upon  ponies,  the  poles  being  dragged  at  their  sides,  and 
the  cavalcade  of  mounted  warriors  and  squaws,  with  all 
their  camp  equipage,  had  forded  the  opposite  channel  of 
the  river  to  the  north  side.  A  village  had  been  moved  in 
less  than  sixty  minutes.  We  were  astounded  at  the  per- 
fect system  that  must  have  been  followed  and  at  the 
celerity  of  their  operations. 

The  reason  for  this  hasty  move  was  not  then  known  to 
us,  but  we  soon  learned  of  a  big  flood  that  was  coming 
down  the  river,  concerning  which  they  would  certainly  be 
informed;  without  doubt  their  chief  had  given  the  order 
to  abandon  the  island.  The  removal  of  these  lodges  was 
the  best  exhibition  of  Indian  team  work  that  I  have  ever 


MEN  OF  THE  WESTERN  TWILIGHT         117 

witnessed.  It  is  interesting  to  read  in  Catlin's  Indians  of 
North  America,  Vol.  1,  p.  50,  that  he  saw  600  Sioux  skin- 
lodges  struck  and  packed  on  horses  in  a  few  minutes. 
In  one  minute  after  the  signal  had  been  given  by  the  chief, 
the  600  lodges,  which  before  had  been  strained  tight  and 
fixed,  were  seen  waving  and  flapping  in  the  wind.  In  one 
minute  more,  every  lodge  was  flat  upon  the  ground.  The 
loading  was  also  equally  rapid.  As  we  had  opportunity 
to  verify  later,  the  poles  of  each  lodge  are  divided  into 
two  bunches,  and  the  smaller  ends  of  the  two  bunches  are 
fastened  one  upon  each  side  of  the  shoulders  of  the  horse, 
leaving  the  butt  ends  to  drag  upon  the  ground.  Just 
behind  the  horse  a  brace  or  pole  is  tied  across,  which  keeps 
the  poles  in  their  respective  places.  Upon  this  is  placed 
the  tent  material,  rolled  up  with  other  articles  of  domestic 
furniture.  The  women  do  the  work,  and  many  of  them 
walk,  but  the  noble  warriors  ride. 

Before  the  sun  had  set  we  were  happy  to  discover  the 
corral  of  the  train  we  had  hoped  to  reach.  The  compan- 
ionship of  its  members  was  welcome,  and  our  guard  duties 
were  divided  with  them. 


CHAPTER  X 

Dan,  The  Doctor 

WHEN  one  sleeps  upon  the  open  ground 
at  night  with  nothing  above  one's  head 
but  the  clear  blue  sky,  the  sun  seems  to 
rise  wonderfully  early  on  a  bright,  un- 
clouded, midsummer  morning.  As  our  only  artificial 
lights  in  this  wandering  life  were  tallow  candles  in  a 
lantern,  we  soon  made  the  interesting  discovery  that  the 
night  is  made  for  sleep,  whereupon  we  naturally  lapsed 
into  the  nocturnal  habits  of  aborigines,  which  on  the 
whole  were  doubtless  quite  as  consistent  with  nature  as 
was  our  own  previous  custom.  So,  on  the  evening  after 
leaving  Baker's  ranch,  the  story  of  the  past  day  having 
been  fully  rehearsed,  one  after  another,  as  the  evening 
shadows  began  to  gather,  the  boys  quietly  sought  as 
eligible  a  spot  as  could  be  found  on  the  ground  nearby, 
and  they  sought  it  in  very  much  the  same  deliberate 
manner  as  the  horse  finds  his  chosen  bed,  and  sinks  upon 
it  at  the  close  of  day. 

When  the  light  of  the  yet  unrisen  sun  wias  silently  herald- 
ing the  approach  of  the  on-coming  day,  it  awakened  our 
out-of-door  sleepers,  and  there  began  at  once  in  both 
camps  the  usual  early  morning  activities,  for  both  outfits 
were  to  pull  out  by  sunrise.     The  delightful  aroma  of 

118 


DAN,  THE  DOCTOR  119 

coffee  and  frying  bacon  stole  through  the  air,  stimulating 
the  appetites  of  men  whose  stomachs  were  in  waiting. 

Our  tin  cups  had  not  been  emptied  when  from  the 
southward  we  heard  the  cracking  of  whips  and  the  yelp- 
ing of  the  mounted  mule  herders  as  they  came  upon  the 
run,  rushing  the  long-eared  drove  toward  the  big  corral, 
which  was  separated  from  our  camp  by  possibly  the 
fourth  of  a  mile.  Soon  after  the  mules  had  been  driven 
into  the  enclosure  and  were  expressing  some  uninterpret- 
able  emotions  by  loud  yet  plaintive  brayings,  our  boys 
were  actively  harnessing  their  horses,  which  had  been 
picketed  upon  the  range;  speedily  they  pulled  out,  while  the 
big  train  soon  uncoiled  itself  not  far  behind.  Three  of 
us  on  horseback  rode  some  distance  in  advance. 

The  morning  was  indescribably  beautiful.  Many  have 
WTitten  of  Italian  skies,  and  I  have  often  seen  and  recog- 
nized their  beauty  when  they  were  tinted  with  the  mirrored 
blue  of  the  Mediterranean,  but  I  have  never  seen  brighter, 
clearer  skies  or  breathed  purer,  more  exhilarating  air  than 
we  found  on  that  high  and  arid  plain.  Ben,  Fred,  and  I 
proceeded  side  by  side  upon  the  firm  trail.  There  was  no 
green  grass  nor  were  there  trees  to  soften  the  colors  of  the 
landscape,  but  there  were  many  large  patches  of  cacti  then 
in  bloom,  the  prevailing  colors  of  which  were  scarlet  and 
bright  yellow.  We  noticed  that  the  long  ridges  trending 
toward  the  river  were  higher  and  presented  a  broader 
sweep,  and  the  intervening  valleys  that  we  crossed  were 
correspondingly  wider  and  deeper  than  were  those  further 
east.  Far  behind  at  times  we  could  see  our  canvas-covered 
prairie  schooners  rising  over  those  great  fixed  billows,  like 
the  white-winged  barks  that  bore  the  Pilgrim  fathers  over 
the  Atlantic's  waves;  or  possibly  like  Abraham's  ships  of 
the  desert  all  alike  drifting  westward,  ever  westward,  over 


1^0        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

a  wilderness  whether  of  land  or  sea,  destmed  to  some  new 
region  far  away. 

On  the  forenoon  of  that  day,  June  26th,  while  riding  over 
the  crest  of  one  of  those  broad  swells,  we  three  simulta- 
neously discerned  on  the  western  horizon  what  appeared 
to  be  a  placid  lake  of  considerable  size,  with  a  well-deiSned 
shore  line  on  its  further  border.  Its  color,  bright  azure 
blue,  denoted  a  body  of  clear  and  deep  water.  It  was  a 
charming  feature  in  that  treeless,  arid  landscape,  but 
nothing  upon  our  maps  had  ever  suggested  to  us  the 
existence  of  such  a  body  of  water  in  that  country. 

Not  long  previous  to  that  time,  I  had  seen  from  the 
shore  of  Lake  Superior  a  distant  island  invisible  under 
ordinary  conditions,  but  at  times  apparently  lifted  above 
the  horizon,  with  its  well  defined  shore  line  quivering 
unsteadily  in  the  sky  just  above  the  surface  of  the  water. 
As  we  moved  onward,  this  phantom  Nebraska  lake  receded, 
and  in  an  hour  it  melted  into  the  blue  sky.  We  then  knew 
that  it  was  a  mirage.  The  same  phenomenon  reappeared, 
always  in  the  West  and  under  the  same  conditions,  at 
about  nine  o'clock  on  each  of  the  two  succeeding  mornings. 

It  is  something  of  a  tumble  to  turn  the  thoughts  from  a 
celestial  vision  of  rare  beauty  to  the  details  of  a  dog  dinner. 
Just  while  the  beautiful  mirage,  and  other  interesting 
phases  of  nature  were  lifting  the  trio  to  an  exalted  frame 
of  mind,  Paul's  ruling  passion  led  him  to  one  of  the  many 
prairie  dog  settlements  that  we  passed  on  our  course, 
where  he  shot  two  of  the  rodents  and  secured  them  before 
they  had  dropped  into  their  burrow.  During  our  long 
noon  rest  he  carefully  prepared  and  cooked  them  for  our 
luncheon.  When  we  assembled  at  the  mess,  the  unrecog- 
nizable dogs,  fat  and  plump  and  nicely  browned,  were 
exhibited  by  Paul  as  something  rare  and  dainty. 


DAN,  THE  DOCTOR  121 

Our  usual  mode  of  serving  food  was  similar  to  that 
adopted  in  the  modern  cafeterias,  in  which  our  methods 
seem  to  have  been  so  far  imitated  that  each  person  takes 
his  plate  to  the  common  source  of  supply  for  his  rations, 
but  returns  to  his  base  of  operations  to  devour  them.  On 
the  occasion  of  our  dog  feast.  Paul,  being  ambitious  to 
produce  a  favorable  impression  with  the  roast  dog,  gra- 
ciously conveyed  it  to  each  of  the  banqueters  as  they  sat 
upon  the  ground  in  an  irregular  circuit.  It  was  amusing 
to  watch  them  as  each  cut  a  delicate  morsel  and  conveyed 
it  to  his  mouth,  then  chewed  the  little  fragment  slowly 
and  critically  that  the  organs  of  taste  might  fully  sense 
the  flavor.  At  the  same  time,  with  compressed  eye-brows, 
a  far-away  look  in  the  eyes,  and  an  occasional  glance  toward 
the  faces  of  others  who  were  going  through  the  same 
ceremony,  all  were  preparing  to  give  an  expert  opinion  on 
the  dainty. 

Nearly  but  not  quite  every  member  of  the  party  ac- 
cepted a  portion  and  made  favorable  comments  on  the 
flavor.  There  is  possibly  something  in  the  familiar  local 
name  commonly  applied  to  these  animals  that  is  n^t 
appetizing,  but  the  name  is  really  a  misnomer,  as  the 
prairie  dog  does  not  belong  to  the  canine  family.  Even 
that  fact  in  itself  may  not  commend  him  as  a  delicacy  for 
the  table.  In  some  features  he  resembles  the  squirrel, 
but  in  habits  and  actions,  as  many  people  know,  is  more 
like  a  chipmunk,  and  the  two  are  members  of  the  same 
family.  The  generally  accepted  belief  that  these  little 
animals  dwell  together  in  amity  with  rattlesnakes,  which 
are  rather  numerous  in  the  chosen  territory  of  the  prairie 
dog,  need  not  add  to  their  attractiveness  on  the  menu. 

I  have  found  no  definite  authority  on  the  subject,  but 
I  should  conclude  from  observation  and  inquiry  that  the 


122        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

serpents  are  not  the  invited  guests  of  the  rodents,  but 
hibernate  with  them  during  the  wanter  as  an  economic 
measure,  to  avoid  unnecessary  labor  in  preparing  their 
own  subterranean  apartments  and  in  the  ordinary  spring 
housework,  all  of  which  is  performed  in  common  courtesy 
by  the  hosts.  It  may  be  imagined  that  the  relations  be- 
tween the  householders  and  their  unbidden  guests  are  not 
always  cordial. 

In  the  forenoon  we  had  fallen  in  with  a  small  party  of 
emigrants,  with  whom  I  had  already  held  some  conversa- 
tion. In  one  of  their  wagons  were  two  brothers,  one  of 
whom  was  driving  their  span  of  mules.  The  older  of  the 
two,  who  was  about  to  start  on  a  hunt,  drew  his  rifle  from 
beneath  the  seat,  when  it  was  accidently  discharged,  the 
bullet  entering  his  thigh.  This  was  simply  an  incident 
to  which  travelers  are  liable.  No  doctor  was  at  hand.  I 
was  riding  near  the  wagon  and  assisted  the  unfortunate 
youth  to  the  ground.  It  occurred  to  one  of  our  party  to 
apply  for  counsel  to  Dan  Trippe,  who  was  "a  sort  of  all- 
around  man, "  who  always  had  a  good  jack-knife  and  had 
read  some  scientific  works.  He  had  possibly  read  some- 
thing concerning  surgery,  for  his  father  had  been  a  physi- 
cian. When  Dan  was  summoned  and  the  situation  was 
briefly  stated  to  him,  it  was  suggested  to  him  that  he 
should  not  disclose  the  fact  that  he  was  not  a  regular 
practitioner,  because  it  would  materially  detract  from  the 
good  effect  of  what  he  might  do.  While  the  injured 
young  man  now  stretched  out  upon  the  ground  was  appar- 
ently unconcerned,  his  youthful  brother  was  heartbroken 
and  in  tears,  realizing  that  an  accident  liable  to  prove 
serious  had  occurred  far  out  in  the  wilderness. 

Dan  promptly  responded  to  the  call,  and,  approaching 
the  sufferer,  proceeded  at  once  in  a  cool,  self-possessed 


DAN,  THE  DOCTOR  123 

manner  to  examine  the  woimd.  Dan  had  studied  Greek 
in  a  preparatory  school,  and  was  able  to  use  a  few  anatomi- 
cal terms  any  one  of  which  would  serve  his  purpose  at  the 
time  as  well  as  any  other.  He  accordingly  raised  his 
eyebrows  and  looked  wise,  after  the  manner  of  experienced 
physicians.  He  then  addressed  to  us  a  few  recondite 
terms  which  came  to  his  mind,  assuming  to  indicate  the 
probable  direction  which  the  ball  had  taken,  all  of  which 
was  about  as  clear  and  satisfactory  as  is  the  average  diag- 
nosis. The  younger  boy,  anxious  to  obtain  Dan's  mature 
opinion  on  the  case,  asked  with  trembling  voice,  "Doctor, 
do  you  think  brother  will  get  well.'' " 

After  another  moment,  apparently  given  to  careful  con- 
sideration of  the  conditions,  Dan  replied,  in  slowly  de- 
livered, well  accented  words  vnth  an  air  indicating  pro- 
found knowledge.  Bringing  into  play  a  stock  term  which 
he  often  used  humorously,  a  term  suggested  by  an  oft-told 
story,  he  said  that  there  being  no  serious  phlebotomization 
of  the  wound,  the  prognosis  was  favorable,  and  he  was 
confident  that  under  fair  conditions  the  patient  would 
speedily  recover, — information  that  was  more  satisfactory 
to  the  youth  than  it  was  to  Dan.  Our  boys  could  not 
suppress  some  smiles  when  they  heard  this  oracle.  A 
later  informal  and  unprofessional  conversation  \\ath  a 
few  friends,  led  to  the  decision,  that  as  Dr.  Brown  was 
now  an  "uncertain  proposition,"  the  wounded  man  had 
best  be  sent  ahead  to  Julesburg,  now  a  small  army  post, 
where  there  was  possibly  a  surgeon.  The  lightest  wagon  in 
the  train  was  accordingly  appropriated,  and  its  freight 
distributed  to  the  other  wagons;  a  suspended  bed,  upon 
which  the  young  man  was  swung  as  in  a  hammock,  was 
constructed  inside  the  box;  provisions  were  put  in  for  a 
three  days'  journey;  and  with  the  best  span  of  mules 


124        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

available  and  a  driver,  the  two  boys  started  on  their  long 
and  anxious  journey,  planning  to  drive  as  continuously  as 
possible. 

We  had  been  undecided  as  to  the  course  we  should  take 
west  of  Julesburg,  but  having  received  information  that 
the  Platte  was  rising,  it  was  deemed  expedient  for  our 
little  party  also  to  push  on,  so  that  if  we  did  conclude  to 
take  a  northern  route  we  could  more  safely  cross  the 
river.  We  accordingly  again  pressed  onward  in  advance 
of  the  train  that  we  had  recently  joined.  Unless  the 
traveler  upon  those  wide  prairies  was  exceedingly  dull 
and  impassive  something  was  sure  to  occur  each  day  to 
arouse  his  interest.  The  sight  of  game  or  some  unex- 
pected incident  invoked  expressions  of  enthusiasm  or 
curiosity. 

On  the  forenoon  after  Dan  assumed  the  role  of  doctor 
a  small  herd  of  antelope  seemed  to  surprise  themselves 
by  coming  directly  upon  us  on  their  way  from  the  river 
toward  the  bluffs  to  the  south.  When  alarmed  these 
beautiful  beasts  start  with  the  speed  of  the  wind  in  some 
direction  without  much  regard  for  what  may  be  in  their 
course;  so,  in  this  case,  they  apparently  took  no  notice  of 
our  big  wagons  until  they  were  almost  within  thirty  rods 
of  them,  when  they  suddenly  turned  to  pass  in  our  rear. 
The  first  impulse  of  man  is  to  shoot  the  innocent  creatures, 
and  in  a  moment  four  or  five  rifles  were  out,  and  bullets 
were  flying,  but  the  little  fellows  were  too  rapid  and  es- 
caped injury. 

Immediately  following  this  trifling  incident  dense  black 
clouds  with  a  fleecy  border  rolled  up  from  the  west  and  we 
soon  faced  a  terrific  squall,  followed  by  a  driving  storm  of 
heavy  hail.     The  flattened  icy  meteors  were  of  the  regula- 


DAN,  THE  DOCTOR  125 

tion  size,  being  as  large  as  hens'  eggs.  Those  of  us  who 
were  on  horseback  hastily  sought  refuge  in  the  wagons. 
Our  horses,  however,  quickly  became  quite  unmanage- 
able from  the  incessant  pelting,  and  it  seemed  humane 
to  alleviate  their  suffering  if  possible.  The  men  who  were 
not  driving  again  shared  the  battering  of  the  big  ice  bullets 
with  the  horses,  but  any  covering  that  we  could  put  over 
them  for  protection  was  lifted  by  the  gale.  Peter  Winter- 
mute's  fine  four-horse  team,  which  I  often  took  pleasure  in 
driving,  reared  and  plunged  to  escape.  Our  saddle  horses 
broke  loose  and  started  off  with  the  wind,  and  for  twenty 
minutes  the  panic  continued,  during  which  the  canvas- 
covered  wagons  creaked  as  if  in  pain.  After  the  storm  had 
passed,  the  fugitive  horses  stopped  in  their  flight  and 
slowly  returned  to  the  companionship  of  the  other  animals, 
seeking  on  the  way  to  crop  a  little  grass  from  the  scanty 
growth.  In  contrast  with  the  clear  air  and  bright  skies 
for  which  that  country  is  distinguished  there  is  tremen- 
dous vigor  in  the  elements  when  turned  loose  in  Nebraska. 

On  Thursday  evening  we  camped  near  Julesburg,  an  old 
town  named  in  1859  from  Jules  Beni,  a  trapper.  All  the 
buildings  at  this  point  had  been  burned  by  the  Indians 
very  recently,  and  we  were  informed  that  the  few  small 
structures  there  then  had  just  been  erected  by  the  Govern- 
ment. I  asked  a  survivor  of  the  fire  why  the  Indians 
burned  Julesburg.  The  information  was  that  they  burned 
it  because  they  wanted  to.  The  old  town,  originally 
having  but  a  few  framed  buildings,  was  familiar  to  all 
plainsmen,  as  it  was  the  parting  of  two  great  trails. 

Near  by,  within  an  hour's  walk,  was  Fort  Sedgwick,  in 
command  of  Captain  Nicholas  J.  O'Brien  of  the  18th 
Regiment  of  regulars,  an  old  time  friend  and  comrade  of 
our  Captain  Ben  Frees.     Captain  O'Brien  had  built  this 


126        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

post  under  the  instructions  of  the  War  Department.  Ben 
secured  from  him  much  valuable  information  concerning 
the  Indian  situation.  Captain  O'Brien  in  the  preceding 
year  had  been  the  hero  of  a  desperate  fight  with  a  large 
force  of  Indians  under  the  wily  Chief  Man-afraid-of-his 
horses,  and  with  the  loss  of  fourteen  men  saved  the  lives 
of  four  stage  passengers,  one  of  whom  was  a  woman.  The 
history  of  some  of  his  daring  exploits  is  narrated  in 
Coutant's  Wyoming. 

In  addition  to  one  company  of  the  18th  regulars,  there 
were  stationed  at  the  post  under  O'Brien  two  companies 
of  the  5th  U.  S.  Volunteers,  and  a  company  of  the  2nd  U. 
S.  Cavalry.  We  learned  that  on  the  occasion  of  the 
burning  of  the  post  at  Julesburg,  about  two  thousand 
savages,  with  yells  and  whoops,  suddenly  closed  in  upon 
the  town,  but  were  met  by  a  detail  of  troops  from  the 
fort.  The  Indians  used  chiefly  bows  and  arrows.  The 
surviving  soldiers  were  relieved  after  twenty -two  comrades 
had  been  killed  and  scalped  by  the  Indians.  The  town 
was  pillaged  and  burned  to  the  ground  with  hea\'y  loss  of 
supplies  to  the  stage  company.  Fifty  thousand  dollars  in 
money  was  captured  from  a  single  coach.  The  estimated 
loss  in  Julesburg  as  the  result  of  this  attack,  which  occurred 
on  February  2,  1865,  was  $115,100.  The  additional  losses 
sustained  by  Ben  Holliday  in  the  raids  occurring  at  that 
time,  including  losses  of  horses  and  stages,  and  the  various 
stage  stations  destroyed  by  the  Indians  along  the  Platte 
River,  were  finally  placed  at  $375,839,  for  the  recovery  of 
which  amount  a  bill  was  introduced  in  Congress.  The 
loss  to  emigrants  would  not  be  reported  as  would  that  of 
stage  companies  that  transport  the  U.  S.  Mail.  The 
stage  lines  in  those  days  were  frequently  put  entirely  out 
of  service  for  a  time  by  Indian  depredations. 


DAN,  THE  DOCTOR  127 

If  there  had  ever  been  any  timber  along  the  Platte  near 
Julesburg,  it  had  now  disappeared.  A  small  pine  log  six 
feet  in  length  which,  it  was  stated,  had  been  brought 
sixty  miles,  was  purchased  by  Paul  Beemer  for  one  dollar, 
for  fire  wood.  That  price,  however,  was  less  than  its 
original  cost,  for  Captain  O'Brien  stated  that  wood  cost 
the  Government  ^625  per  cord. 

In  a  yard  nearby,  adobe  or  sun-dried  bricks  were  being 
made,  the  size  being  about  8x12  inches.  They  were  to  be 
used  in  the  rebuilding  of  Julesburg.  None  had  yet  been 
used  in  new  construction.  To  be  exact,  Julesburg  at  the 
time  of  our  visit  consisted  of  six  widely  separated  framed 
houses,  on  the  old  ruins,  one  being  a  blacksmith  shop.  The 
most  imposing  of  the  buildings  was  a  billiard  parlor,  as 
indicated  by  the  sign  on  its  front.  As  a  detachment  from 
our  party  were  sauntering  by  the  wide-open  door  of  the 
last  named  palace  of  amusement,  an  altercation  had  just 
commenced,  the  casvs  belli  being  the  price  of  two  bags  of 
shelled  corn.  Two  men  who  had  just  entered  the  room  of 
the  saloon  at  once  approached  a  stalwart  man  who  was 
pushing  ivory  balls  across  a  billiard  table,  and  demanded 
more  money  for  the  corn.  "Not  another  cent;  I  paid  all 
I  agreed  to  pay,"  was  the  sharp  reply  of  the  player,  who 
for  a  moment  discontinued  his  game.  "It's  a  damn  lie 
and  you  know  it,  and  if  you  don't  shell  out  damn  quick, 
we'll  take  it  out  of  you,"  was  the  call  to  combat  delivered 
by  one  of  the  newly  arrived  })air  who,  like  all  others  there 
except  the  proprietor,  were  transients.  The  big  end  of  a 
billiard  cue,  swmig  with  terrific  force,  instantly  crashed 
against  the  head  of  the  corn  seller,  and  swiftly  whirling 
again  in  the  air  it  grazed  the  disappearing  form  of  the 
silent  partner,  who  escaped  through  the  door.  The 
prostrate  spokesman  of  the  pair  was  lifted  to  his  feet  by 


U8        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

bystanders  and  assisted  to  the  open  air,  and  the  game 
proceeded. 

We  had  previously  learned  that  arrangements  had  been 
in  progress  for  several  months,  with  the  view  of  holding 
an  important  council  at  Fort  Laramie  with  several  Indian 
tribes  then  on  unfriendly  terms  with  the  whites.  It  was 
hoped  that  a  treaty  might  settle  the  issues  which  for  a 
considerable  time  had  been  the  cause  of  continued  dissen- 
sion. At  Julesburg  we  learned  that  according  to  the  latest 
advices  received  there,  no  treaty  had  been  concluded, 
although  the  tribes  had  assembled.  It  was  further  re- 
ported that  Indian  warriors  to  the  number  of  15,000  had 
disappeared  from  their  customary  haunts  and  were  appar- 
ently removing  their  families  to  safer  places,  preparatory 
to  taking  the  war-path,  unless  a  satisfactory  settlement 
should  be  made.  The  question  for  us  now  to  determine 
was,  should  we  take  the  Bitter  Creek  route  through 
Bridger's  Pass  and  thus  keep  as  far  south  and  west  of  the 
disputed  territory  as  possible,  or  proceed  by  Fort  Laramie 
and  "the  new  cut  off"  by  Fort  Reno,  the  route  which  the 
Indians  were  demanding  must  be  closed  to  white  travel. 

A  feeling  of  despondency  prevailed  among  the  few  whites 
remaining  at  Julesburg,  mingled  with  a  bitter  sentiment 
toward  the  Government  for  the  manner  in  which  the 
negotiations  had  thus  far  been  conducted,  it  being  the 
belief  that  the  interests  of  sutlers  and  Indian  agents  had 
been  treated  as  paramount.  It  seemed  impossible  for  us 
at  this  time  to  obtain  definite  information  as  we  desired, 
but  the  almost  universal  impression  was  that  the  Indians 
were  being  fed,  armed,  and  otherwise  put  into  favorable 
condition  to  prosecute  war  upon  the  settlers  and  emigrants 
whenever  they  should  decide  to  turn  their  backs  upon  the 
unsatisfactory  terms  demanded  from  them. 


DAN,  THE  DOCTOR  129 

As  is  well  known,  Indians  lack  the  faculty  of  organiza- 
tion on  a  large  scale.  Tecumseh,  Pontiac,  and  other  tribal 
leaders  finally  failed  because  of  this  fact.  The  tribes 
that  were  involved  in  the  controversy  to  which  we  have 
referred  were  chiefly  the  Sioux  or  Dakotas,  the  Mountain 
Crows,  the  Cheyennes,  and  the  Arapahoes.  Each  of  these 
tribes  was  divided  into  numerous  independent  bands, 
each  recognizing  no  authority  beyond  its  own  chief.  A 
common  language,  and  the  tribal  superstitions  and  cus- 
toms, are  the  only  bond  that  was  calculated  to  unite 
them,  otherwise,  so  far  as  can  be  learned  from  observation 
and  from  various  writings,  they  were  as  independent  one 
of  another  as  the  Anglo-Saxon  stock  of  Minnesota  is 
independent  of  the  same  stock  in  Manitoba.  A  common 
cause  might  unite  them  for  a  time,  but  each  would  still  be 
under  its  o^m  leadership.  There  is  no  great  head  to  the 
tribe  as  a  whole.  As  the  tribes  are  divided  into  bands,  so 
each  band  is  divided  into  v^illages,  each  having  its  own 
chief.  Parkman  states  that  the  chiefs  are  "honored  and 
obeyed  only  so  far  as  their  personal  qualities  may  com- 
mand respect  or  fear. "  Some  chiefs  have  attained  much 
power  and  are  recognized  in  the  histories  of  our  country. 
Such  were  Sogoyewatha,  the  orator  of  the  Senecas,  Black- 
hawk  of  the  Sacs,  Red  Cloud,  to  whom  we  shall  refer 
later,  and  several  other  chiefs  of  national  reputation.  The 
Western  Dakotas,  of  late  years  known  as  Sioux,  had  no 
fixed  place  of  abode.  They  were  incessantly  wandering 
both  in  summer  and  winter,  and  the  buffalo  furnished 
them  most  of  the  necessities  of  life.  Its  flesh,  which  was 
usually  sun-dried,  or  jerked,  as  the  process  is  termed, 
furnished  food;  its  skin  their  habitations  and  beds;  its  fat 
was  fuel;  other  parts  supplied  powerful  strings  for  their 
bows,    also   glue,    thread,    cordage,    and   boats.     Was   it 


130        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

strange,  then,  that  the  unnecessary  slaughter  of  these 
valuable  animals  upon  which  they  had  learned  to  depend, 
and  their  slaughter  on  the  best  of  the  remaining  hunting 
grounds,  should  arouse  the  earnest  protest  of  the  red- 
skins? 

In  view  of  the  general  conditions,  we  held  a  council 
in  the  evening,  and  as  arguments  are  easily  forthcoming 
to  sustain  any  personal  desire  or  predilection,  we,  as  many 
young  men  would  have  done,  decided  to  go  by  the  Laramie 
route.  This  was  on  the  theory  or  pretext  that  we  were 
likely  to  get  over  the  mountains  before  the  Indians  could 
inaugurate  a  general  warfare,  and  before  the  treaty  gather- 
ing at  Laramie  could  be  concluded.  As  a  fact,  we  were 
disposed  to  go  by  that  route  because  we  believed  that 
more  of  interest  promised  to  happen  along  that  trail; 
besides,  the  natural  attractions  appeared  more  inviting 
than  on  the  Bridger  route.  The  rapid  rise  in  the  river, 
indeed,  brought  rather  a  serious  obstacle  to  confront  us, 
but  we  determined  to  attempt  the  crossing  in  the  morning. 
For  a  time  in  the  year  1864,  prior  to  the  diversion  of  the 
stage  line  to  the  Bridger  route,  a  ferry  was  maintained 
at  this  crossing,  but  in  the  following  year  it  was  perma- 
nently abandoned. 

We  had  not  forgotten  to  inquire  after  the  condition  of 
the  wounded  young  driver  who  had  preceded  us.  The 
post  surgeon  reported  that  he  was  progressing  favorably 
and  that  the  doctor  who  had  dressed  the  wound  had  done 
it  as  well  as  could  be  expected  of  an  amateur;  in  other 
words,  he  had  done  nothing  except  to  bandage  it.  We 
were  permitted  to  congratulate  the  young  man  on  his 
safe  trip  to  that  point. 

On  our  way  back  to  the  camp  we  were  surprised  to  come 
upon  Dr.  Bro^v^l's  driver,  John,  who  informed  us  that  his 


DAN,  THE  DOCTOR  131 

party  had  just  arrived.     He  conducted  us  to  the  doctor's 
camp,  where  we  received  a  cordial  southern   welcome 
^\hen  we  informed  Dr.  Brown  that  we  had  decided  to 
undertake   the   northern   route,   he   requested   us   to   be 
seated    for    awhile.     Occupying   such    boxes    and    other 
objects  as  were  the  most  available,  we  were  soon  in  com- 
fortable positions.     Ben  and  Fred  made  it  convenient  to 
sit  one  on  either  side  of  the  girls,  M^ho  were  as  usual  side 
by  side.     I  was  pleasantly  grouped  with   the  doctor  and 
his  wile.     John,  after  having  stimulated  the  camp  fire 
found  a  seat  upon  the  front  of  one  of  the  wagons.     The 
doctor  was  much  older  than  we  were,  and  we  had  observed 
that  the  loss  of  many  friends  during  the  recent  war  and  the 
abandonment  of  his  old  Kentucky  home,  had  filled  his 
mmd  ^Nnth  sad  and  hauntmg  recollections.     However   he 
and  his  family  were  fine  examples  of  the  best  and  most 
cultured  stock  that  went  out  from  his  state  to  make  up 
the  permanent  citizenship  that  entered  into  the  building 
of  the  West. 

For  several  minutes  after  we  were  all  seated  but  few 
words  were  spoken.  The  camp  fire,  which  had  been  re- 
vived for  light  rather  than  for  heat,  had  begun  to  flash 
some  flickermg  rays  upon  the  faces  of  the  little  company 
gathered  around  it.  Finally  the  doctor  said:  "I  much 
regret  that  our  paths  must  separate,  and  though  our  own 
plans  are  somewhat  uncertain,  I  hope  that  we  may  meet 
again.  '^ 

In  travel  of  the  kind  we  have  been  describing,  acquaint- 
ance often  ripens  more  rapidly  than  in  ordinary  life, 
nithout  preliminaries,  we  proceeded  to  recite  the  incidents 
of  our  journey  since  our  first  separation  from  their  party, 
though  Ben  and  Fred  joined  in  the  conversation  but 
incidentally,  finding  much  more  of  interest  in  the  subdued 


132        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

conversation  they  contrived  to  carry  on  with  the  young 
ladies.  The  fact  that  Ben  (then  hardly  twenty-one 
years  of  age)  had  been  a  first-lieutenant  in  a  Wisconsin 
regiment  in  active  service,  did  not  seem  to  lessen  his 
admiration  for  the  southern  girl  with  dark  hair,  and 
possibly  not  for  the  dignified  father,  who  may  have  faced 
him  on  some  southern  battlefield.  Ben  was  a  noble 
fellow  of  sterling  worth  and  character.  His  sincerity  and 
good  sense  were  sure  to  make  their  impression  upon  any 
one  whom  he  might  meet.  Fred  was  quite  as  true,  and 
there  was  charm  in  his  presence.  There  they  sat  beside 
those  bright  but  serious  young  ladies,  quietly  making  the 
best  of  the  fleeting  moments. 

"Boys,"  I  said,  "don't  you  think  it  is  time  to  leave 
our  friends  and  return  to  camp, — for  we  must  try  that 
ford  early  in  the  morning,  you  know.?^" 

My  admonition  roused  the  boys  to  a  realization  of  the 
fact  that  the  hour  was  late.  We  rose  from  our  seats, 
exchanged  a  hearty  goodbye  with  the  Browns,  and  after 
lingering  a  moment  with  the  young  ladies  on  the  edge  of 
the  shadow  of  the  wagons  made  by  the  camp  fire,  we  tore 
ourselves  away  and  started  through  the  darkness  towards 
our  own  camp.  W^e  separated,  not  expecting  to  meet  the 
Browns  again,  but  we  met  them  once  more  on  this  strange 
and  interesting  highway. 


CHAPTER  XI 

Fording  the  Platte  in  High  Water 

EARLY  on  the  foUownng  morning,  as  a  sufficient 
number  of  men  and  teams  to  conform  to  the 
requirements  of  the  War  Department  had  been 
reported  as  ready  to  proceed,  we  were  at  the 
river's  edge  prepared  to  attempt  the  ford.  During  low 
water  many  of  the  numerous  sand  bars  in  the  river  cover 
wide  areas.  But  now  the  swiftly  surging  waters  which  had 
risen  perceptibly  during  the  night  swept  over  all  the  island 
bars,  leaving  the  depressions  between  them  of  uncertain 
depth,  because  the  water  loaded  with  clay  and  sand  was 
opaque  as  flowing  mud  can  be.  A  number  of  teams  be- 
longing to  different  parties  were  hurriedly  prepared  to 
make  the  crossing,  as  the  river  was  still  rising.  Many 
drivers  removed  their  boots,  and  a  few  whose  wardrobes 
were  limited  went  even  farther  and  hung  the  greater  part 
of  their  garments  in  wagons.  The  general  course  taken 
through  the  stream  by  the  last  preceding  travelers  might 
now  be  more  unsafe  than  some  other  route,  because  of 
the  constant  shifting  of  the  quicksands. 

As  a  preliminary  step,  it  was  decided  that  mounted  men 
from  the  several  outfits  that  were  to  cross  should  test 
various  parts  of  the  river  by  different  routes.  Stripping 
the  saddles  from  their  horses,  those  who  were  willing  to 

133 


134        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

attempt  the  passage  started  in  from  as  many  different 
points.  For  two  or  three  rods  in  each  course  tested,  the 
water  was  found  to  be  rather  shallow,  but  further  on  it 
varied  greatly  along  the  different  routes.  The  water 
being  muddy,  there  was  no  visible  indication  of  its  depth 
in  advance  of  the  rider,  except  that  at  the  deepest  points 
the  current,  being  less  impeded,  was  much  swifter  and  was 
also  indicated  by  broad,  undulating  swells.  When  about 
one-fourth  of  the  way  over,  my  horse  dropped  into  a  very 
deep  channel,  where  he  could  obtain  no  footing.  In  all 
such  places,  the  horse  and  rider  swiftly  drifted  down  the 
river,  swimming  in  the  direction  of  the  objective  point  on 
the  opposite  shore.  Nearly  all  of  those  who  participated 
in  this  preliminary  trip  seemed  to  doubt  the  practicability 
of  a  safe  crossing.  The  rider,  however,  who  had  kept  the 
furthest  up  the  stream  had  found  a  footing  for  his  horse 
through  nearly  the  entire  course,  there  being  but  one 
place  where  for  a  moment  he  seemed  to  lose  his  hold  on  the 
bottom;  and  that  was  approximately  the  route  adopted. 

The  tendency  of  all  who  crossed,  was  to  be  carried  down 
the  stream,  and  all  came  out  on  the  north  bank  a  long 
distance  below  the  point  which  they  aimed  to  reach.  A 
trigonometrical  measurement  of  the  river,  taken  with  a 
sextant,  gave  the  width  as  792  yards;  Root  gives  the  width 
as  being  one-half  mile.  But  our  proposed  course,  being 
serpentine  and  quite  in  the  form  of  the  letter  S,  was  about 
seven-eighths  of  a  mile  in  length.  The  general  course 
having  been  agreed  upon,  the  final  preparations  were 
quickly  made  for  the  start.  As  oxen  are  the  safest  animals 
to  use  in  this  kind  of  work,  it  was  arranged  that  the  ox 
team  wagons  should  move  in  advance.  Eighteen  yoke  of 
oxen — in  other  words,  the  teams  from  three  wagons — 
were  hitched  to  a  single  wagon,  each  making  a  combined 


FORDING  THE  PLATTE  IN  HIGH  WATER    135 

team  more  than  200  feet  in  length.  Four  such  teams  were 
made  ready.  The  heaviest  men  were  assigned  to  ride  on 
the  backs  of  all  the  lead  oxen,  to  bear  them  down  as  low 
as  possible  into  the  water,  so  that  they  would  be  less 
inclined  to  float  in  deep  water  and  lose  their  footing. 
Oxen  in  shamming  do  not  sink  as  low  in  the  water  as  either 
mules  or  horses.  The  instructions  to  the  drivers  of  all 
teams  were  to  direct  them  constantly  somewhat  up 
stream,  that  they  might  eventually  reach  the  opposite 
shore  as  nearly  as  possible  directly  opposite  the  place  of 
starting,  for  they  would  be  sure  to  drift  more  or  less. 

The  importance  of  a  very  long  team  in  fording  such  a 
turbulent  river  of  varying  depth  is  that  when  the  lead 
teams  find  water  so  deep  that  it  lifts  their  feet  from  the 
bottom,  and  they  are  compelled  to  float  and  swing  down 
stream,  then  the  middle  teams,  urged  on  by  their  riders  and 
the  horsemen  who  ride  alongside,  may  keep  the  wagon 
moving  and  somewhere  near  its  true  course;  but  it  viust 
be  kept  moving.  When  the  lead  oxen  have  again  secured 
a  footing  in  shallow  water,  they  must  again  be  turned  up 
stream,  to  straighten  out  the  whole  line  and  aid  in  pulling 
intermediate  teams  over  the  deep  places.  A  minute  halt 
of  a  loaded  wagon  in  the  soft  quicksand  is  likely  to  be 
very  serious,  as  the  rushing  current  will  quickly  under- 
mine it  and  it  will  rapidly  settle  to  the  wagon  bed. 

All  these  points  having  been  forcefully  impressed  upon 
the  men,  the  ox  drivers  vaulted  to  their  positions,  each 
astride  of  an  ox.  Horsemen  were  in  waiting  at  the  right, 
or  down  stream  side,  to  assist  in  keeping  the  cattle  from 
drifting.  No  saddles  were  used  on  the  animals,  and  the 
men  were  barefooted,  for  when  the  horses  should  sink 
with  their  backs  below  the  water,  saddles  and  shoes  would 
become  encumbrances. 


136        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

The  captain  having  mounted  on  his  horse,  both  being 
divested  of  unncessary  trappings,  galloped  down  the  line 
shouting  to  the  men  of  each  team,  "Come  right  along  in 
line  quick.  Follow  me  and  keep  'er  moving!"  The  first 
of  the  four  long  teams  filed  behind  the  Captain  and  with 
some  urging  splashed  down  into  the  muddy  swirling 
waters,  and  the  others  followed  in  their  wake.  We  who 
knew  that  our  time  was  soon  to  come  stood  upon  the 
bank  and  earnestly  watched  every  movement  in  their  pro- 
gress. We  saw  the  Captain's  horse  suddenly  sink  over 
his  flanks  into  the  first  deep  unseen  channel  and  plunge 
madly  until  he  reached  footing  on  a  sand  bar  beyond, 
over  which  only  two  feet  of  water  flowed.  There  the 
Captain  turned  and  halted  to  direct  the  drivers  who  were 
urging  their  teams  onward  through  the  soft  quicksand. 
It  was  a  dangerous  place,  but  there  could  be  no  retreat 
for  the  long  teams  and  heavy  wagons.  The  men  were 
shouting  at  the  top  of  their  voices,  but  above  the  shouts 
of  the  men  and  the  grumbhng  swash  of  the  waters,  we 
heard  the  Captain  call,  "Come  on,  keep  'er  moving! 
Keep  'er  mo\ang;  keep  up  stream!"  But  when  the  first 
oxen  dropped  into  the  deep  channel  they  floated  swiftly 
down  with  the  resistless  current  in  a  tangled  mass,  and 
then  the  horsemen  and  ox -riders  directed  their  efforts  to 
turn  the  swimming  leaders  toward  the  Captain.  As  I 
learned  later,  the  drivers  while  in  the  broad  swift  stream 
hardly  knew  where  they  were,  or  in  what  direction  they 
were  going.  Everything  in  sight  was  going  down,  down, 
and  the  eye  having  no  fixed  object  near-by  on  which  to 
rest,  was  continually  led  astray  by  the  flotsam  rushing  by. 
For  a  time  the  whole  team  from  our  view-point  seemed 
to  be  an  inextricable  mix-up,  but  finally  the  lead  oxen 
reached  a  footing  in  shallower  water  and  were  turned  up 


FORDING  THE  PLATl^E  IN  HIGH  WATER    137 

stream  toward  the  Captain.  After  being  urged  forward, 
they  partially  straightened  out  the  long  line  and  the  heavy 
wagon  slowly  continued  to  move,  but  soon  it  also  sank 
down  into  the  deep  channel  where  the  swift  waters  swept 
its  sides. 

"It's  going  over!"  shouted  more  than  one  who  stood 
on  the  shore,  as  the  wagon  reeled  from  one  side  to  another 
on  the  soft,  uneven,  sandy  bottom. 

"Keep  'er  going,  keep  'er  moving!"  was  then  yelled 
continuously  by  the  drivers  and  Captain,  as  they  urged 
the  teams  to  pull  harder,  and  this  continued  until  the 
wagon  slowly  rose  in  shallower  water.  But  they  must 
not  stop  even  there  in  these  quicksands,  nor  until  they 
had  reached  the  other  shore.  There  was  still  much  more 
of  the  deep  rushing  water  farther  on  in  the  river.  A  like 
experience  was  shared  by  each  team,  as  it  went  through 
the  deep  places. 

The  four  wagons  were  finally  pulled  out  upon  the 
farther  bank,  and  the  oxen  were  returned  to  repeat  the 
struggle  with  other  loads.  Our  time  had  now  come  and 
delay  would  be  dangerous,  for  the  river  was  rising.  There- 
fore, as  soon  as  the  first  ox  team  had  accomplished  the 
first  deep  channel,  Pete  ^Yinternmte  started  into  the 
river  with  his  wagon  and  four  horses.  Pete  was  a  superb 
horseman  and  managed  his  team  with  discretion,  but  it 
seemed  almost  certain  at  times  that  his  wagon  was  cap- 
sizing. The  remainder  of  our  party  could  not  long  delay 
to  watch  his  uncertain  progress,  for  each  had  his  own 
diflScult  responsibility. 

My  attention  was  chiefly  directed  to  Deacon  Cobb  and 
Ben  and  Fred,  whose  wagons  had  each  but  one  span  of 
horses.  The  Deacon,  after  progressing  swimmingly  for  a 
time,  became  hopelessly  stuck  on  a  sand  bar  where  the 


138        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

water  was  not  more  than  two  feet  in  depth.  Ben  and 
Fred  were  also  stuck  down  stream  about  twenty  rods 
below  the  Deacon.  It  was  imperative  that  their  teams 
should  be  combined.  It  was  clearly  impossible  to  get  a 
team  up  stream  to  the  Deacon.  I  dismounted  and  un- 
hitched the  Deacon's  horses,  and  with  whiffletrees  in 
hand  turned  them  floating  down  toward  the  boys'  wagon. 
At  times  I  passed  through  deep  water  in  which  the  horses 
swam,  always  knowing  that  I  was  likely  soon  to  strike 
another  sand  bar.  Before  reaching  Ben's  wagon,  one  of 
the  whiffletrees  became  detached,  a  pin  having  come  out 
in  the  deep  water.  The  harness  generally  was  out  of  order. 
The  boys  were  in  the  water  and  were  soon  busy,  tying 
parts  together  and  doubling  up  the  teams,  using  any 
straps  and  ropes  that  were  available.  In  time  they  were 
as  ready  as  could  be,  under  the  circumstances,  to  move 
onward,  and  were  soon  breasting  the  current,  while  I  rode 
beside  them  on  horseback. 

At  this  juncture  there  arose  great  commotion  in  ad- 
vance of  us.  Among  the  parties  who  were  making  this 
watery  transit  were  two  brothers,  each  driving  a  two-mule 
team,  their  wagons  being  loaded  with  fancy  groceries  with 
which  they  intended  to  start  a  business  in  Montana. 
They  were  driving  nearly  side  by  side.  I  observed  both 
their  mules  and  wagons  sink  into  a  deep  channel,  almost 
simultaneously  and  both  wagons  rolled  completely  over 
being  caught  in  a  powerful  current.  The  mules  of  both 
teams,  entangled  in  their  harness,  were  soon  kicking  and 
floundering  in  their  efforts  to  escape,  while  the  frantic 
young  men,  at  the  peril  of  their  lives,  were  trying  each  to 
release  his  own  mules  by  cutting  their  harness.  Two  of 
the  mules  were  dro\\Tied,  the  wagons  were  a  hopeless 
wreck,  and  I  saw  many  of  the  lighter  boxes  and  packages 


FORDING  THE  PLATTE  IN  HIGH  WATER    1 39 

from  their  cargo  floating  down  the  stream.  The  stock  was 
a  total  loss.  Ben  and  Fred  had  no  time  to  watch  these  col- 
lateral occurences,  for  they  were  endeavoring  to  manage  a 
four-horse  team  that  had  never  been  driven  in  that  form, 
and  might  have  been  found  difficult  at  first  to  control 
even  on  a  solid  highway. 

The  evening  was  well  advanced  when  Ben  and  the 
drivers  of  two  other  of  our  wagons  pulled  out  from  the 
northern  bank.  Dan  Trippe  was  two  or  three  hours  in 
advance  of  any  of  our  party.  We  had  been  in  the  water 
the  entire  day,  and  laboring  every  moment  to  the  extent 
of  our  ability.  Several  animals  had  been  drowned,  but 
our  sympathy  went  out  especially  toward  the  young  men 
who  had  lost  their  all  and  were  now  stranded  with  two 
mules. 

And  how  about  Deacon  Cobb?  He  was  sitting  alone  in 
his  wagon  in  absolute  serenity  when  I,  who  had  seen  him 
last,  had  parted  from  him.  His  wagon  had  then  settled 
to  the  axles  in  the  quicksand,  and  the  muddy  waters  were 
swiftly  sweeping  by  it  and  through  it.  He  had  piled  boxes 
and  other  articles  in  the  center  of  the  wagon  box  and  had 
surmounted  the  pile  with  his  little  mattress,  which  he  had 
rolled  into  a  bundle.  I  saw  him  perched  upon  the  summit 
patiently  awaiting  developments.  In  the  meantime  the 
waters  had  filled  the  box.  He  was  near  the  middle  of 
the  river.  The  rest  of  his  party  now  being  safely  across, 
we  shouted  to  him  through  the  gathering  darkness  of  the 
evening,  to  assure  him  that  we  would  come  to  him  as  soon 
as  possible.  If  he  responded  to  our  call  it  was  not  heard 
above  the  sound  of  the  running  waters.  The  wagon  was 
so  deeply  imbedded  in  the  mud  that  it  seemed  a  dubious 
task  to  pull  him  out  with  our  weary  and  hungry  horses. 

We  endeavored  to  negotiate  with  the  captain  of  the  ox- 


140        THE  A^YAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

team  wagons  for  assistance,  but  he  replied  that  he  ^  would 
not  have  his  weary  men  and  stock  undertake  the  hazardous 
task  for  five  hundred  dollars  at  that  late  hour.  The  point 
was  urged  that  a  good  man's  life  was  involved,  and  that 
our  teams  were  absolutely  unequal  to  the  undertaking,  as 
he  well  knew.  He  finally  consented  to  send  three  men  with 
four  yoke  of  oxen  to  make  the  attempt,  upon  the  pay- 
ment of  forty  dollars,  to  which  terms  we  cheerfully  agreed. 
The  oxen  were  sent  for  and  yoked  in  the  darkness,  and 
soon  were  in  the  river  on  the  way  to  the  rescue.  The  men 
stated  on  their  return  that  after  a  time  their  course  was 
directed  by  the  Deacon's  voice,  which  was  finally  heard 
in  the  distance  and  approximately  indicated  his  location. 
After  a  long  period  of  comparative  silence  the  approach  of 
the  rescuing  party  to  the  shore  was  announced  by  cheers 
from  the  drivers.  The  Deacon  when  pulled  up  to  the 
shore  was  the  calmest  and  most  comfortable  man  in  the 
party,  although  he  had  been  fully  aware  of  his  critical 
situation.  He  was  moreover  the  only  dry  object  in  the 
wagon. 

The  bacon  in  our  mess  wagon  was  not  seriously  injured 
by  its  baptism,  and  at  9  p.  m.,  we  regaled  our  empty 
stomachs  with  such  of  it  as  could  be  readily  found.  My 
own  trunk,  containing  garments  and  papers,  had  suffered 
little.  Like  Homer's  horses,  we  had  to  await  the  throned 
dawn  before  drying  ourselves.  In  the  early  morning  the 
caravan  moved  onward  five  miles  to  where  sage  brush  was 
found  for  fuel  and  some  grass  for  the  horses,  there  being 
practically  none  near  the  place  of  crossing.  There  we 
took  an  inventory  of  our  effects,  and  all  were  unloaded 
that  we  might  dry  them  out.  We  had  received  on  our 
arrival  at  Nebraska  City  a  box  of  ginger  snaps  and  some 
other  delicacies,   also  some  dried  fruit,    sent  by  friends  at 


FORDING  THE  PLATTE  IN  HIGH  WATER    14 1 

home.  These  had  been  carefully  retained  for  use  in  an 
emergency,  perhaps  in  case  of  illness,  when  some  change 
of  diet  from  rough  camp  fare  might  be  welcome.  The 
box  was  now  for  the  first  time  re-opened,  as  the  hour  had 
come  to  test  it,  but  all  those  dainty  tributes  of  good-will 
were  blended  into  a  common  mass,  of  the  consistency  of 
thin  pudding,  and  no  one  article  could  be  separated  from 
another.  The  box  had  been  filled  with  sand  and  water 
for  nearly  twenty-four  hours,  and  in  the  meantime  had 
been  thoroughly  shaken  up.  It  was  gratifying,  however, 
to  find  that  a  bag  of  dried  apples,  also  reserved  for  some 
state  occasion,  had  about  doubled  its  bulk  since  leaving 
Nebraska  City.  In  this  case  the  high  water  might  seem 
to  have  been  a  blessing,  in  disguise,  but  the  disguise  was 
perfect,  for  when  we  again  dried  them  out  in  the  hot  sun 
and  gave  them  a  little  time  to  re-adjust  themselves  to  the 
en\"ironment,  they  gradually  resumed  their  original  modest 
proportions.  The  pudding  left  as  the  residue  of  the  cookies 
was  re-cooked,  but  for  dietary  purposes  it  was  hardly 
satisfactory,  as  it  yielded  only  a  gritty,  earthy -tasting 
food. 

The  final  consensus  of  opinion  was  that  we  would  never 
again  ford  the  Platte  during  high  water. 


CHAPTER  XII 

The  Phantom  Liar  of  Grease  Wood  Desert 

A  portion  of  the  compound  constituting  the 
waters  of  the  Platte,  with  which  many  of  our 
effects  were  saturated,  passed  into  the  air  by 
evaporation  in  the  sun,  but  a  residuum  of  clay 
and  sand  long  remained  as  a  reminder  of  the  day  spent  in 
the  muddy  flood  of  that  river.  We  were  happy  to  find 
that  our  ammunition  was  uninjured.  We  waited  three 
days  for  the  arrival  of  Phillip's  mule  train,  which  was  at 
Julesburg  and  with  which  we  expected  to  proceed,  but 
finally  learned  that  it  would  not  hazard  an  attempt  to  ford 
a  river  that  had  proved  so  disastrous  to  others.  In  the 
meantime  we  hunted  sage  hens  and  jack  rabbits,  which 
were  numerous  in  that  sage  brush  country. 

It  has  often  been  said  of  Yankee  mechanics  that  they 
are  "Jacks  of  all  trades  and  masters  of  none. "  Necessity 
has  made  them  self-reliant.  Such  were  we,  and  the  delay 
afforded  us  an  opportunity  to  put  everj'thing  in  good  order. 
Although  there  were  no  harness  makers,  blacksmiths,  or 
carpenters,  to  repair  harness  or  wagons,  no  horseshoers  to 
shoe  the  horses,  and  no  shoemakers  or  tailors  to  mend 
boots  or  garments,  nearly  every  member  of  our  company 
showed  himself  fully  qualified  to  do  very  satisfactory  work 
and  with  few  tools  in  each  of  these  lines  of  industry.     The 

142 


PHANTOM  LIAR  OF  GREASE  WOOD  DESERT  143 

valuable  miscellaneous  training  in  the  primitive  days  in 
our  country',  when  the  trades  were  not  specialized  as  they 
are  now,  fitted  the  young  men  of  that  time  for  such  emer- 
gencies. 

Deciding  that  our  present  situation  justified  a  violation 
of  army  regulations,  we  moved  forward  alone  to  the 
crossing  of  Lodge  Pole  Creek,  a  milky-colored  stream 
about  fifteen  feet  in  width.  They  told  us  at  Julesburg 
that  the  Indians  were  accustomed  to  obtain  lodge  poles 
from  a  place  near  the  distant  sources  of  this  stream,  a 
fact  to  which  it  owed  its  euphonious  name. 

We  had  camped  some  distance  from  the  trail,  and 
having  taken  our  horses  over  the  ridge  into  another  ravine, 
had  picketed  them  on  the  best  grass  that  could  be  found. 
It  was  my  duty  to  stand  guard  and  watch  the  horses  until 
midnight.  The  night  was  clear  and  still,  and  although 
it  was  bright  starlight,  it  seemed  to  be  very  dark  in  the 
ravine.  I  took  a  position  slightly  up  the  hillside  and 
reclined  with  ear  near  the  ground.  About  midnight  there 
came  seemingly  from  some  very  distant  source,  a  low,  deep, 
rumbling  roar.  For  a  time  it  was  impossible  even  to  sur- 
mise the  cause.  It  seemed  to  be  subterranean  and  yet  it 
was  not  an  earthquake,  for  the  sound  was  continuous  and 
gradually  increased  in  depth  and  power.  In  a  few  minutes 
I  became  convinced  that  it  was  caused  by  the  hoofs  of  a 
great  number  of  running  horses  approaching  through  the 
ravine.  As  a  measure  of  precaution  I  thought  it  best  to 
move  a  little  out  of  the  valley  to  a  position  behind  a 
growiih  of  sage  brush  near-by,  and  there  await  develop- 
ments. An  Indian  raid  at  midnight  was  hardly  to  be 
suspected,  nor  had  we  heard  of  any  large  body  of  cavalry 
in  those  parts.  The  sound  increased  in  power  like  the 
roar  of  an  approaching  tornado,  and  an  onrushing  mass 


144        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

jBnally  swept  round  the  nearest  curve  in  the  ravine.  Our 
horses,  frightened  by  the  approaching  herd,  suddenly 
started  in  advance,  as  could  be  inferred  from  their  snort- 
ing and  the  rattle  of  the  iron  picket  pins,  some  of  which 
were  pulled  from  the  ground.  All  were  soon  in  flight. 
Those  which  failed  at  once  to  escape  were  carried  along 
the  next  moment  with  a  solid,  resistless  tide  of  oncoming 
mules  which  leaped  one  upon  another.  As  the  drove 
swept  by  I  caught  glimpses  here  and  there  of  the  mo\dng 
forms,  which  showed  that  the  mules  were  riderless;  being 
stampeded,  their  fright  was  communicated  to  one  another 
— those  in  the  rear  crowding  upon  those  in  front ;  and  some 
of  them,  I  believe,  stumbled  and  were  run  ovsr  by  the 
compact  mass  that  followed.  In  a  moment  all  had  passed; 
but  for  a  long  time  in  the  direction  of  a  range  of  hills  to 
the  west,  could  be  heard  the  roar  of  hundreds  of  hoofs  and 
the  ring  of  the  picket  pins  as  they  were  dragged  over  the 
st:>ny  ground.  The  sound  did  not  die  away  entirely  in 
its  slow  diminuendo  until  the  mules  had  passed  the  range 
six  miles  to  the  west.  On  visiting  the  spot  where  our 
horses  had  been  picketed,  we  found  that  every  one  of  them 
had  been  carried  away  in  the  mad  rush,  and  unless  we 
could  recover  them  the  inconveniences  would  be  most 
serious.  The  natural  conclusion  then  was  that  the  large 
herd  had  been  stampeded  by  mounted  Indians,  who  would 
soon  follow. 

When  about  to  return  to  camp  to  report  the  situation 
to  our  party,  I  became  conscious  of  the  approach  of  mount- 
ed men  from  the  same  direction  as  that  from  which  the 
stampede  came. 

I  soon  heard  their  voices.  They  proved  to  be  four  men 
on  horseback,  who  (I  then  suspected)  might  have  caused 
the  rush.     Myself  a  party  to  the  loss  of  stock,  and  be- 


PHANTOM  LL\R  OF  GREASE  WOOD  DESERT  145 

lieving  it  to  be  my  duty  quickly  to  summon  our  party,  I 
fired  my  rifle  in  advance  of  the  riders.  Wishing  to  make 
myself  appear  as  numerous  as  possible,  I  repeated  the 
challenge  with  two  or  three  additional  shots  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, and  with  as  firm  a  voice  as  I  could  command 
called  to  the  riders  to  halt.  To  my  surprise  they  did  halt. 
One  of  the  men  grufily  asked,  "Who  are  you?"  Another 
shouted  what  seemed  rather  an  incoherent  declaration, 
the  tenor  of  which  as  I  caught  it,  was  in  efiPect  that  I  was 
shooting  at  the  United  States  Government.  Perhaps  it 
was  the  darkness  and  the  fact  that  I  was  out  of  their  reach 
that  inspired  me  with  sufiicient  confidence  to  order  them 
not  to  proceed  further  until  we  could  ascertain  who  they 
were.  The  pronoun  "  we  "  was  used  not  only  to  emphasize 
the  authority  of  the  speaker  and  thereby  command  respect, 
but  also  on  the  theory  that  the  more  numerous  I  could 
make  myself  appear  the  safer  I  was  likely  to  be  until  our 
boys  should  arrive  in  response  to  the  rifle  call.  As  was 
expected,  our  men  rounded  up  very  quickly,  for  our  camp- 
ers were  not  compelled  to  dress  and  make  an  elaborate 
toilet  on  receiving  a  call.  A  mutual  investigation  followed, 
through  which  we  learned  that  a  Government  train  of 
which  we  had  no  previous  knowledge  had  camped  three 
miles  northwest  of  our  trail,  and  their  stock,  about  240  in 
number,  had  been  stampeded  through  the  carelessness  or 
folly  of  one  their  own  drivers;  and  the  animals  were  away 
before  their  men  were  prepared  to  start  in  pursuit.  They 
had  been  able  to  find  a  few  saddle  horses  which  had  been 
picketed  and  had  not  escaped  in  the  panic.  On  being 
informed  very  definitely  concerning  the  direction  which 
the  flying  herd  had  taken,  the  riders,  after  giving  the 
assurance  that  all  of  our  horses  would  in  time  doubtless 
be  returned,  started  on  their  hunt.     After  daybreak  they 


146        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

encountered  no  difficulty  in  following  their  course,  which 
was  well  marked  by  hoof  tracks;  and  in  the  forenoon  all 
of  our  horses  were  once  more  at  our  command,  but  none 
the  better  for  their  escapade. 

This  Lodge  Pole  Creek  ford  became  of  some  interest 
to  overland  travelers  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  some 
years  later  the  old  Oregon  trail,  which  we  were  still  pur- 
suing, was  here  crossed  by  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad, 
which  up  to  this  point  along  much  of  its  course  was  built 
exactly  upon  the  trail  marked  by  the  first  Mormon  emi- 
grants in  1847,  following  many  of  its  windings.  This  fact 
suggests  a  striking  comparison  between  the  early  and  the 
later  modes  of  travel.  Our  party,  moving  as  steadily 
as  possible,  had  consumed  twenty -five  days  in  reaching 
this  point  from  the  Missouri  River.  Ben  Holliday's  stages, 
when  they  followed  the  route  that  we  were  taking,  reached 
Lodge  Pole  on  the  fifth  day,  being  driven  continuously 
night  and  daj'  with  relays  of  horses  every  ten  or  fifteen 
miles.  It  is  now  reached  in  twelve  hours  by  express 
trains. 

Our  next  day's  journey  after  leaving  Pole  Creek  was 
over  a  series  of  ridges  along  an  excellent  roadway  the  great 
part  of  the  distance.  The  highest  points  disclosed  fine 
\'iews  of  the  rocky  cliffs  along  the  North  Platte.  There  is 
a  marked  change  in  the  general  features  of  the  country  as 
compared  with  those  seen  along  the  Platte  valley  east  of 
Julesburg.  The  road  showed  that  it  had  been  traveled 
but  little.  We  were  able  to  make  a  drive  of  twenty -eight 
miles,  reaching  IMud  Spring  in  the  e^•ening.  Why  this 
tiny  fountain  should  be  so  denominated  is  unknown  and 
unknowable;  it  was  the  first  clear,  living  water  that  we 
had  seen  west  of  the  Missouri  River,  except  in  a  few  wells 
at  stage  stations.     In  February  of  the  preceding  year  this 


PHANTOM  LIAE  OF  GREASE  WOOD  DESERT  147 

spot  was  the  scene  of  some  sharp  fights  with  the  Indians. 

And  now  there  lay  immediately  before  us  the  longest 
and  most  difficult  drive  of  the  trip,  concerning  which  we 
had  secured  much  information.  It  would  conduct  us 
across  a  wide  stretch  of  sandy  desert  in  which  there  was 
no  pasturage;  and  forty  long  miles  must  be  laid  behind 
in  order  to  reach  a  camp  ground  where  there  was  any 
grazing  whatever  for  horses.  The  preceding  day  had  been 
intensely  hot,  and  there  were  no  indications  of  any  imme- 
diate change  in  the  temperature.  To  secure  the  benefit 
of  the  cooler  early  hours  we  were  off  at  exactly  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  Near  where  we  entered  the 
dreary  waste  of  sand  we  parallelled  for  a  short  distance  a 
small  stream,  concerning  which  we  had  been  advised 
that  it  was  the  only  desirable  place  for  lunch.  We  had 
prepared  some  cold  boiled  beans,  bacon  and  coffee,  which 
we  pulled  from  the  mess  box,  and  as  the  rays  of  the  sun 
had  now  become  very  oppressive,  we  prepared  to  drop 
down  upon  the  hot  sand  in  the  shade  of  a  wagon.  The 
Deacon  protected  himself  somewhat  from  the  sands  by 
sitting  upon  a  rolled-up  blanket.  Others  remained  stand- 
ing or  dropped  upon  their  knees,  but  Pete  remarked  that 
as  the  tallest  and  largest  man  in  the  party  he  was  fairly  en- 
titled to  a  certain  high  mound  of  sand  of  convenient 
shape,  which  he  found  well  in  the  shade.  These  piles  were 
formed  by  some  little  clumps  of  grease  wood,  or  similar 
growi:h,  which  the  sand  had  drifted  round  and  in  many 
cases  entirely  covered,  as  a  little  obstruction  will  some- 
times collect  a  small  snow  drift. 

Pete,  who  was  a  tall,  powerful,  but  rather  slow-moving 
individual,  dropped  wearily  and  heavily  upon  the  sand 
heap  which  he  proposed  to  occupy  by  right  of  squatter 
sovereignty.     Although  it  was  a  long  distance  from  the 


148        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

seat  of  Pete's  "pants"  to  the  seat  of  his  intelligence,  yet 
the  information  was  quickly  transmitted  to  his  brain  that 
something  was  under  him  that  was  not  all  sand.  With  a 
sudden  yell,  as  if  stung  by  a  serpent,  he  leaped  into  the  air 
with  agility  and  enthusiasm  of  which  he  had  hitherto 
been  deemed  altogether  incapable.  Peter  swore.  He 
then  inspected  the  sand  pile,  while  we  watched  him  with 
dismay,  being  ignorant  of  the  cause  of  his  frenzy.  Reach- 
ing out  at  arm's  length,  he  cautiously  poked  the  mound 
wnth  his  w^hip  stock  and  found,  not  a  rattlesnake,  but 
only  an  oval-shaped  cactus  slightly  concealed  beneath 
the  sand.  Its  long  spines  as  sharp  as  needles  and  almost 
uncountable  in  number,  under  the  weight  of  Pete's  body 
had  penetrated  his  flesh  no  one  yet  knows  how  far.  As 
the  punctured  parts  could  not  easily  be  examined  by  the 
sufferer,  his  companion,  Noah,  performed  the  operation 
of  removing  such  of  the  needles  as  were  visible.  Many 
without  doubt  remained,  for  during  the  next  two  or  three 
days  Peter  walked  with  short  steps,  staccato,  and  rarely 
indulged  in  a  sitting  posture. 

The  stream  near  which  we  had  halted  afforded  the 
last  opportunity  to  obtain  water  until  we  should  complete 
the  long  drive  across  the  sands.  Our  horses  were  fed  with 
fine  wheat  flour,  the  only  nourishment  which  we  could 
secure  to  stay  them  through  the  day.  After  having  filled 
the  water  kegs  and  canteens  from  the  stream,  the  difficult 
march  was  continued.  The  day  was  so  intensely  hot 
that  nearly  all  members  of  the  party  walked  to  relieve  the 
perspiring  horses.  The  country  we  were  traversing  was 
an  area  of  loose,  dry  sand.  Its  surface  was  marked  by 
small  mounds  and  ridges  of  sand,  the  ridges  all  trending  in 
one  direction  and  evidently  drifted  with  the  prevailing 
wind  behind  a  clump  of  stunted  grease  wood,  a    small 


\M 


t 
^ 


PHANTOM  LL\R  OF  GREASE  WOOD  DESERT  149 

shrub  which  grows  on  alkaline  soils  and,  like  other  desert 
gro'W'ths,  is  stiff  and  stubby, — possibly  a  provision  of 
nature  to  preserve  its  scant  foliage  from  being  browsed; 
shrubs  so  protected  remained,  a  survival  of  the  fittest. 
Some  such  provision  is  certainly  necessary  to  protect  the 
plant  life  of  the  desert  in  its  struggle  for  existence.  The 
surface  of  the  sand  was  slightly  hardened  by  a  thin  scale, 
possibly  due  to  solidification  in  drying,  after  a  passing 
shower  had  moistened  the  salts  in  the  sand.  The  scale  in 
many  places  prevented  the  wheels  from  sinking  deeply. 
The  wagons  were,  therefore,  scattered  along  side  by  side, 
because  a  track  once  followed  was  deeply  cut  in  the  ruts. 
Numerous  lizards  (swifts)  glided  along  the  parched  sur- 
face of  the  Sahara  and  were  the  only  specimens  of  animal 
life  that  I  observed  there  with  any  interest. 

An  experience  on  this  grease  wood  desert  may  have 
prompted  the  inquiry  ascribed  to  one  of  our  statesmen, 
who  is  alleged  to  have  asked  in  1843  concerning  this  west- 
em  territory,  "What  do  we  want  wath  the  vast  wortliless 
area,  this  region  of  savages  and  wild  beasts,  of  deserts  of 
shifting  sands  and  whirlwinds  of  dust,  of  cactus  and 
prairie  dogs?" 

In  spite  of  the  oppressive  heat  of  the  day  and  the  long 
tramp  still  before  us,  Ben,  who  was  tough  and  untiring, 
proposed  a  little  side  tramp  by  way  of  diversion.  For 
many  miles  we  had  observed  the  majestic  outlines  of  the 
conspicuous  landmark  well  known  as  Court  House  Rock. 
As  our  course  finally  approached  within  two  miles  of  its 
cliffs,  Ben  and  I  determined  to  secure  a  view  from  its 
summit.  That  remarkable  monument  stands  in  solitary 
grandeur  upon  the  barren  plain;  it  has,  however,  a  worthy 
associate  not  far  away,  another  prominence  kno^vTi  as  the 
Jail ;  these  high  bluff's  are  appropriately  named.     From  a 


150        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

distance  Court  House  Rock  has  the  appearance  of  some 
vast,  ancient  ruin.  The  grandeur  and  beauty  of  its  out- 
hnes  and  the  majesty  of  its  proportions  have  made  it  a 
notable  landmark  for  all  travelers  who  pass  that  way. 
We  found  its  ascent  comparatively  easy,  but  the  descent 
was  somewhat  difficult  because  of  the  projecting  terraces 
which,  though  of  hard  material,  were  cracked,  leaving 
projections  that  could  not  be  depended  upon  for  support. 
Although  we  might  well  have  saved  our  energies  for  the 
hot  tramp  through  the  sands  which  lay  before  us,  we 
obtained  views  of  the  "bad  lands"  to  the  west,  which 
were  very  impressive. 

It  seemed  as  if  in  the  Creation  there  had  been  a  vast 
amount  of  crude  material  left  over,  which  had  been  dumped 
into  that  waste,  but  the  essential  elements  of  life  were 
wholly  absent.  As  far  as  could  be  seen  through  the  clear, 
hot,  and  quivering  air  of  noonday  everything  was  silent 
and  dead.  On  reaching  the  trail  Ben  and  I  followed  the 
track  of  our  wagons  in  the  white  sand,  which  glowed  like 
a  furnace,  and  finally  overtook  our  party,  which  was 
slowly  dragging  along  with  occasional  pauses  for  rest. 

We  had  seen  no  person  during  the  day  except  members 
of  our  own  party.  Beyond  the  border  of  the  sandj^  waste 
I  dropped  back  again,  but  this  time  with  Noah,  who  was 
also  wearily  trudging  along  now  over  a  more  hilly  and 
broken  country  toward  the  north  Platte.  We  were  sur- 
prised to  see  approaching  us  from  the  north,  as  if  about 
to  cross  our  course,  a  long-haired  individual,  rather  tough 
in  appearance,  with  whom  we  exchanged  a  few  common- 
place words,  with  the  usual  question  as  to  what  he  was 
"driving  at"  in  that  country,  but  obtained  no  definite 
information.  Having  been  informed  that  there  were 
numerous  rattlesnakes  in  the  hilly  country,  I  aimed    a 


PHANTOM  LL\R  OF  GREASE  WOOD  DESERT  151 

question  concerning  snakes  at  the  presence  that  stood 
before  us.  Something  in  his  appearanc(  led  me  to  beHeve 
that  he,  if  anyone,  would  be  informed  on  the  subject. 
"Yes,"  he  replied,  "there's  right  smart  of  rattlesnakes 
around  here."  Simply  to  continue  the  conversation,  we 
asked  if  he  had  killed  many.  Before  making  any  reply 
he  slowly  hauled  from  deep  down  in  his  "pants"  pocket  a 
plug  of  tobacco,  and  inserting  it  between  his  big  teeth 
chewed  off  a  section  that  proved  to  be  large  enough  to 
interfere  somewhat  with  his  articulation.  He  then  stood 
silent  for  a  moment,  while  he  transferred  the  tobacco 
from  one  cheek  to  another.  The  cynical  expression  upon 
his  face  impressed  us  with  the  idea  that  he  had  all  the 
qualities  required  to  make  a  first  class  stranger.  He  then 
related  an  alleged  experience  with  a  rattlesnake.  Al- 
though not  inclined  to  accept  it  as  exactly  true  in  all 
particulars,  we  offer  it  here  not  quite  in  ipsissimis  verbis 
but  substantially  as  given,  simply  for  what  it  may  be 
worth  as  a  problematic  contribution  to  natural  history. 
His  thesis  at  the  outset  was,  that  if  one  gains  the  affection 
of  a  rattlesnake  through  some  special  act  of  kindness  the 
serpent  may  on  some  occasions  afterward  express  its  pro- 
found gratitude. 

He  said  that  his  "pardner"  Jim,  once  upon  a  time, 
discovered  a  six-foot  rattler  lying  fastened  under  a  rock 
which  had  rolled  upon  it  while  it  was  lying  torpid  in  the 
sun.  Instead  of  taking  advantage  of  the  reptile  while  it 
was  in  this  helpless  condition,  he  carefully  released  it,  and 
thereafter  the  snake  on  many  occasions  manifested  indica- 
tions of  its  gratitude,  and  became  a  veritable  pet,  follow- 
ing the  man  wherever  it  was  permitted  to  go,  and  guard- 
ing him  faithfully.  Jim,  therefore,  called  it  Annie,  be- 
cause he  came  from  Indiana. 


152        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

On  being  awakened  one  night,  Jim,  observing  that 
Annie  was  missing  from  her  usual  place  near  his  bed, 
hastily  arose  to  discover  the  cause  of  her  absence.  Light- 
ing a  candle,  he  opened  an  outside  door  of  the  ranch  house 
and  soon  heard  Annie  rattling  her  taU.  He  then  dis- 
covered that  the  snake  had  run  a  skulking  Indian  into 
the  other  room,  and  was  holding  him  there  a  prisoner, 
while  her  tail,  which  was  sticking  out  of  the  window,  was 
ratthng  like  a  dinner  bell,  calling  Jim  to  come  in  and  help 
kill  the  "cuss." 

We  asked  the  red-headed,  pink-eyed,  big-mustached 
rancher  if  this  was  really  a  true  story,  and  if  his  own 
personal  reputation  would  give  credit  to  liis  statements. 
He  replied  that  he  had  lived  in  those  parts  for  seven  years 
and  had  never  yet  been  lynched.  This  was  sm*ely  to  be 
accepted  in  that  elementary  waste  as  an  evidence  of  good 
moral  character.  He  admitted  that  he  had  a  few  horses 
off  in  the  hills  which  he  could  part  with  in  case  a  prospec- 
tive buyer  was  anxious  to  get  some  fresh  ones,  but  we  did 
not  ask  him  to  produce  any  evidence  of  his  title  to  the 
animals.  The  conclusion  of  this  instructive  and  interest- 
ing incident  afforded  the  narrator  a  much  needed  oppor- 
tunity to  discharge  from  his  mouth  a  large  quantity  of 
tobacco  juice,  which  for  a  considerable  time  had  interfered 
with  his  enunciation. 

His  reference  to  the  Indian  led  us  to  ask  if  many  Sioux 
were  now  in  that  country.  In  reply  to  this  question  he 
hesitated  a  few  moments,  while  with  a  hand  in  each  of  his 
pockets  he  turned  his  eyes  in  various  directions  as  if  the 
subjects  of  which  he  was  to  speak  might  be  concealed  in 
some  of  the  gullies  near-by.  He  finally  said  there  were 
right  smart  of  'em  along  the  North  Platte  here  a  while  ago, 
"  but  I  guess  most  of  them  have  gone  up  to  Laramie.     They 


PHANTOM  LIAR  OF  GREASE  WOOD  DESERT  153 

don't  bother  me  very  much,  but  the  other  day  my  pardner 
was  out  and  I  was  all  alone  in  the  shanty  and  my  horse 
was  hitched  in  front.  I  went  out  the  door  for  something 
and  there  were  six  Indians  a-coming  up  in  a  hurry.  When 
they  saw  me  three  of  'em  shot  at  me  but  didn't  fetch  me. 
I  ain't  no  sucker  with  a  gun,  but  I  only  had  one  six-shooter 
in  my  belt  and  knowed  it  was  no  time  for  fooling."  Ac- 
companying his  words  with  action  showing  how  he  did  it, 
he  added,  "  I  jerked  out  my  gun  jest  so,  and  give  it  to  'em, 
and  there  was  jest  enough  cartridges  in  it  to  go  around, 
but  they  went  around. " 

"Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  didn't  miss  a  shot?" 
asked  Noah.  "Oh,  I'm  all  right  with  a  gun;  them  Injuns 
won't  bother  me  any  more."  Astounded  at  the  man's 
coolness  and  bravery,  I  asked  if  the  Indians  had  guns. 
He  replied  that  they  had  bows,  but  they  started  in  at 
pretty  long  range  for  bows  and  arrows. 

At  that  moment  we  heard  three  or  four  rifle  shots  which 
attracted  our  attention  toward  the  direction  which  our 
train  had  taken.  The  train  was  now  out  of  our  sight. 
We  both  concluded  that  some  of  the  boys  had  discovered 
game.  Turning  again  toward  the  spot  where  a  minute 
before  had  stood  the  daring  hero  of  Grease  Wood  Desert, 
we  discovered  that  he  had  vanished  and  no  sign  or  trace  of 
him  was  visible.  The  only  possible  avenue  by  which  he 
could  disappear  and  still  remain  in  the  flesh  was  by  a 
narrow,  crooked  ravine  near  the  ill-defined  trail.  We 
hastened  to  its  margin,  but  no  sight  or  sound  that  came  to 
our  senses  gave  us  the  slightest  clue  to  the  manner  of  his 
transformation  or  disappearance.  His  abiding  place  may 
have  been  either  in  Avernus  or  down  the  ravine,  for, 
although  possibly  not  dark  enough,  the  latter  was  certainly 
hot  enough  that  day  for  the  former  in  climate. 


154        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Noah  and  I  had  been  so  much  delayed  that  we  hastened 
on  our  course  walkmg  side  by  side,  overtaking  our  wagons 
before  they  reached  the  valley  of  the  North  Platte  near 
Brown's  ranch,  where  we  camped.  We  were  there  in- 
formed that  our  teams,  which  were  much  fagged,  had 
traveled  forty  miles  during  the  day.  The  rifle  shots  that 
we  heard  had  been  directed  at  jack  rabbits. 

On  our  side  trip  I  suffered  not  so  much  from  fatigue  as 
from  an  acute  headache,  which  developed  toward  the  close 
of  the  day  as  a  result  of  the  intense  heat  and  of  the  miser- 
able food  we  had  eaten.  Fred  had  brought  with  him  a 
few  simple  drugs  from  a  store  in  which  he  was  interested 
at  home.  Among  them  was  tincture  of  camphor.  He 
administered  a  dose  of  the  stuff,  which  immediately  caused 
all  the  mechanism  of  my  stomach  to  assert  its  rights  in  the 
most  vehement  manner.  It  expelled  everything  except 
the  camphor,  which,  being  no  longer  held  in  solution, 
solidified  into  a  chunk.  At  times  it  rose  into  my  throat 
for  an  instant  and  then  gradually  settled  down  again  to 
resume  its  activities.  The  stomach  being  unable  to  expel 
the  camphor  gum  then  endeavored  to  expel  itself  in  its 
entirety,  but  as  the  organ  was  fastened  down  in  some 
mysterious  fashion,  it  could  only  turn  itself  wrong  side 
out  and  twist  itself  in  the  most  unsatisfactory  manner. 
The  remainder  of  the  drug  supply  was  then  placed  at  my 
disposal,  but  I  declined  longer  to  permit  my  stomach  to 
be  used  as  a  chemical  laboratory  in  which  to  test  drugs  of 
unknown  qualities.  Not  until  the  solidified  gum  had 
been  expelled  was  there  any  domestic  peace. 

Near  the  course  that  we  had  followed  to  this  camp  is 
the  battle  field  where  in  1855  General  William  S.  Harney 
slaughtered  the  Brule  Sioux  Indians  in  a  terrific  fight  in 
which  500  savages  are  said  to  have  perished  at  what  is 


PHANTOM  LIAR  OF  GREASE  WOOD  DESERT  155 

knoTNTi  as  Ash  Hollow.  Harney  had  served  in  the  Black 
Hawk  war  and  also  in  our  war  with  Mexico. 

On  the  following  day  we  passed  Chimney  Rock,  visible 
for  a  great  distance  and  a  striking  feature  of  the  landscape. 
It  is  about  260  feet  in  height.  Captain  Howard  Stansbury, 
an  early  traveler  wrote  of  it:  "This  singular  formation  has 
been  undoubtedly  at  one  time  a  projecting  shoulder  of  the 
main  chain  of  bluffs  bounding  the  valley  of  the  Platte 
and  has  been  separated  from  it  by  the  action  of  water. 
That  the  shaft  has  been  very  much  higher  than  at  present 
is  evident  from  the  corresponding  formation  of  the  bluff, 
as  well  as  from  the  testimony  of  all  our  voyagers,  for  whom 
it  was  for  years  a  beacon  visible  for  forty  or  fifty  miles 
both  up  and  dowTi  the  river." 

It  was  the  opinion  of  Mr.  James  Bridger  that  this  emi- 
nence had  been  reduced  to  its  present  height  by  lightning 
or  some  other  energy  of  nature,  from  the  change  he  ob- 
served in  it  on  his  return  from  one  of  his  trips  to  St. 
Louis,  for  when  he  had  passed  it  on  his  way  down,  it  was 
uninjured. 

After  still  another  long  day's  drive  up  the  valley  of  the 
swift  flowing  North  Platte,  through  patches  of  stunted 
sage  brush  and  grease  wood,  we  paused  for  the  night.  The 
terraced  height  of  Scott's  Bluffs  loomed  in  the  distance. 
Almost  behind  them,  the  glowing  sun  sank  beneath  the 
sharply  defined  horizon,  and  the  shadows  of  night  brought 
welcome  relief  after  another  day  of  intense  heat. 


CHAPTER  XII  [ 

The  Mystery  of  Scott's  Bluffs 

AS  is  well  known,  a  wonderful  story  may  be 
enfolded  in  the  mute  testimony  of  the  hills  and 
rocks,  and  far  more  endm-ing  than  ever  written 
by  human  hands.  Some  of  these  interesting 
records,  open  to  any  observer,  are  as  plainly  written  in 
the  exposed  cliffs  of  Scott's  Bluffs  as  in  any  spot  that  I 
have  known.  Their  location  was  noted  upon  the  old 
maps  partly  perhaps  because  they  had  received  a  name  in 
memory  of  the  tragic  death  from  starvation  of  a  man  who 
was  deserted  by  his  companions  on  Laramie  Fork.  Scott 
was  too  ill  to  continue  his  journey,  and  the  entire  party 
was  destitute  of  provisions.  He  lived,  however,  to  make 
his  way  alone  to  these  Bluffs,  where  his  remains  were 
eventually  found.  The  altitude  of  the  Bluffs  as  given  in 
the  Government  survey  is  4,662  feet  above  sea  level,  a 
fact  in  no  way  remarkable  except  as  fixing  the  highest 
elevation  attained  in  Nebraska. 

The  isolated  position  of  this  vast  pile  makes  it  a  con- 
spicuous object  when  viewed  from  no  matter  what  direc- 
tion. It  rises  abruptly  from  a  comparatively  level  plain 
upon  which  it  was  once  believed  no  vegetable  life  could 
ever  grow,  for  the  surface  of  the  surrounding  country  was 
as  barren  and  bare  as  a  brick  pavement.    The  rock  at  once 

156 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  SCOTT'S  BLUFFS        157 

arouses  interest  by  virtue  of  its  beautifully  terraced  forma- 
tion, and  picturesque  outlines  embellished  wath  towers 
and  castles,  the  handiwork  of  Nature.  There  it  stands, 
in  majestic  solitude,  guarding  its  silent  chambers,  innum- 
erable records  of  a  remote  antiquity, — an  ancient  ruin 
compared  with  which  the  storied  monuments  in  the  valley 
of  the  Nile  are  modern  and  insignificant. 

It  was  not,  however,  because  of  its  hoary  age  and  un- 
fathomable mystery,  but  because  of  its  beauty  as  it 
appealed  to  the  eye,  and  because  of  the  promise  of  a  wide 
outlook  from  its  summit,  that  I  determined  to  make  the 
ascent.  When  our  train  had  reached  the  point  at  which 
our  pathway  approached  nearest  the  bluff,  I  relieved 
myself  of  all  impedimenta  except  a  revolver  and  a  field 
glass,  and  started  alone  for  the  climb. 

From  a  distance  along  some  of  the  channels  that  scarred 
the  sides  of  the  bluffs,  could  be  seen  a  line  of  small  cedars 
and  a  few  shrubs  that  had  fastened  themselves  in  some 
way  in  the  fissures  of  that  inhospitable  heap  of  indurated 
clay.  Discovering  on  the  north  side  of  the  southern  bluff 
what  appeared  to  be  a  continuous  ravine  intersecting  the 
numerous  level  terraces,  I  concluded  that  the  ascent  along 
that  course  would  not  be  difficult.  To  that  ravine  my 
steps  were  directed. 

The  ascent  was  indeed  not  difficult  as  that  term  would 
be  used  of  mountain  climbing.  Terrace  after  terrace  was 
passed,  each  capped  or  protected  by  a  stratum  slightly 
harder  than  the  main  body  of  the  bluff,  which  is  the  true 
formation  of  the  Bad  Lands  and  is  now  known  by  geolo- 
gists as  Brule  clay.  These  thin,  hard  layers  yielding  more 
slowly  to  the  action  of  the  elements  than  does  the  inter- 
vening hard  clay,  there  results  the  formation  of  terraces 
with  level  tops  and  perpendicular  sides,  as  the  general  face 


158        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

of  the  bluffs  disintegrates.  The  summit,  being  reached, 
was  found  to  be  comparatively  level,  with  a  number 
of  prommences  upon  it  a  few  feet  in  height,  but  each  also 
with  a  level  surface,  the  remains  of  a  still  higher  terrace. 
Upon  one  of  these  I  observed  a  thin,  hard  stratum  in  which 
numerous  shells  were  tightly  imbedded.  Ascending  one 
of  those  small  level  areas  upon  the  highest  summit,  from 
which  the  best  view  of  the  country  toward  the  south 
could  be  obtained,  I  enjoyed  through  the  field  glasses  a 
superb  panorama  of  the  surrounding  landscape.  Far  in 
the  distance  towards  the  south,  other  bluffs  of  similar 
formation,  and  separated  one  from  another  by  many  miles 
of  lowland,  rise  to  nearly  the  same  level.  Among  them  is 
Dome  Rock,  not  far  away.  I  was  not  then  aware  of  the 
fact  that  among  the  prominences  visible  far  away  in  the 
distance  were  Court  House  Rock,  which  we  had  climbed 
several  days  previous  and  Castle  Rock,  a  striking  eleva- 
tion of  the  same  type,  far  to  the  east. 

It  was  my  immediate  conclusion,  and  one  that  would  be 
promptly  formed  by  any  other  superficial  observer,  that 
this  shell-bearing  stratum  had  some  time  been  the  bed  of  a 
prehistoric  body  of  water,  which  existed  there  previous 
to  the  upheaval  of  all  that  territory,  covering  all  of  what 
is  now  knowTi  as  the  Bad  Lands.  I  observed  also  that  the 
level  strata  in  the  distant  bluffs  were  each  a  duplicate  of 
the  strata  in  all  the  others.  It  suggested  at  once  the  age 
when  they  were  continuous,  and  the  fact  that  I  was  now 
standing,  not  on  a  mountain  summit,  but  on  what  was 
once  the  common  level  of  that  country.  Surely  the  con- 
tinuous action  of  the  elements,  beginning  perhaps  with 
the  wearing  out  of  the  gullies  near  the  river,  had  worn 
back  into  the  high  plain  and  gradually  widened  out  in  all 
directions  until  nothing  remained  of  the  original  level. 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  SCOTT'S  BLUFFS        159 

except  these  few  high  elevations.  Scott's  BlufiF,  Chimney 
Rock,  Castle  Rock,  and  other  notable  peaks  alone  remain 
to  tell  their  tale  of  the  ages  that  have  passed  since  this 
work  of  erosion  began.  This,  however,  is  but  part  of  the 
story  discovered  in  the  descent. 

The  perpendicular  faces  of  the  bluff  present  three  or 
four  ^•arieties  of  clay  formation,  slight  differences  in  color 
and  texture  being  noticeable.  One  series  of  strata,  called 
Mortar  beds  in  Darton's  geological  reports,  is  called  the 
Ogalalla  formation,  the  strata  being  merged  into  a  light 
colored,  sandy  clay.  Beneath  this  is  a  formation  suffi- 
ciently lithyfied  to  be  fairly  classed  as  soft  sandstone,  and 
beneath  it  all,  as  late  examination  shows,  the  Pierre  clay, 
now  supposed  to  be  at  least  2,000  feet  in  thickness  at  this 
point. 

Here  also  is  seen  at  a  glance  one  of  the  great  sources  of 
the  enormous  volume  of  sediment  continually  borne  along 
in  the  waters  of  the  Platte  and  down  the  great  Missouri 
River,  which  have  transported  many  cubic  miles  of  earth 
and  have  deposited  it  to  form  the  alluvial  lands  now 
forming  the  great  states  along  the  waters  of  the  lower 
Mississippi.  The  suggestion  seems  overpowering,  but  true 
it  is,  that  by  these  slow  processes  extending  through  ages, 
immeasurable  even  by  the  most  learned  geologist,  the 
surface  of  this  part  of  our  continent  has  been  transformed 
without  limit. 

I  had  carefully  inspected  the  surfaces  of  the  bluffs  and 
the  interesting  panorama  that  surrounded  them;  the  next 
problem  was  to  descend.  This  would  have  been  simple 
enough  if  I  had  been  content  to  retrace  my  steps  and 
return  by  the  ravine  I  had  followed  in  ascending,  but  I 
had  crossed  to  the  southern  rim  of  the  summit,  and  I 
desired  to  explore  that  side  of  the  eminence.      On  the 


160        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

southwest  comer,  however,  there  appeared  to  be  a  dry 
run  which  from  my  point  of  observation  seemed  to  afford 
a  safe  and  comparatively  unbroken  descent  to  the  foot 
of  the  cliffs  on  that  side.  Although  the  view  looking  down 
this  newly  discovered  ravine  was  not  so  comprehensive  in 
all  its  details  as  would  have  been  obtained  below  at  a 
distance,  I  nevertheless  determined  to  risk  it. 

Following  it  down  for  a  hundred  feet  or  more  I  encoun- 
tered a  terrace  with  the  usual  perpendicular  face,  but  not 
intersected  by  the  ravine  along  which  I  was  descending. 
As  the  footing  seemed  to  be  good  further  along,  I  dropped 
myself  over  the  edge  of  the  terrace  and  comfortably 
alighted  upon  the  level  gallery  that  was  next  beneath. 
These  narrow  and  level  galleries  surmounted  each  of  the 
many  upright-faced  terraces,  the  latter  varying  somewhat 
in  height.  This  mode  of  descent  seemed  fairly  easy,  and 
was  indeed  exhilarating.  The  process  was  repeated  three 
or  four  times  as  other  terraces  were  encountered,  until  I 
found  myself  upon  a  level  gallery  twelve  to  eighteen  feet 
in  width  and  possibly  a  hundred  feet  long. 

Walking  the  length  of  this  gallery  back  and  forth,  I 
found  no  point  where  below  it  there  was  not  a  sheer, 
perpendicular  precipice  of  more  than  a  hundred  feet  in 
height.  At  each  of  its  ends  the  gallery  narrowed  to  a 
point  against  the  cliff  which  extended  far  down  beneath. 
Nature  had  here  failed  to  carry  out  the  general  architec- 
tural plan  of  the  bluff's  structure.  I  felt  earnestly  that  the 
terraces  should  have  been  constructed  with  more  rigid 
uniformity.  The  discovery  was  now  made  that  the  branch 
ravine  which  my  eyes  had  been  following  bore  off  in  its 
upward  course  round  this  cliff  and  M^as  lower  than  I  had 
supposed. 

To  return  was  impossible,  for  the  smooth  cliffs  down 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  SCOTT'S  BLUFFS        161 

which  I  had  dropped,  being  absolutely  vertical,  afforded 
no  better  footing  than  would  the  side  of  a  perpendicular 
brick  wall.  I  was  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  bluffs  from 
the  road  which  our  train  had  followed,  and  miles  from  it. 
The  last  glimpse  of  our  wagons  showed  them  moving  far 
away  in  the  distance  to  the  westward.  A  shot  from  my 
revolver  would  not  be  heard  a  tenth  of  the  distance. 
Even  though  I  should  be  searched  for,  it  would  be  prac- 
tically impossible  for  friends  to  follow  my  tortuous  course 
down  those  cliffs  over  which  probably  no  idiot  before  had 
dropt  himself,  and  I  should  not  be  hunted  until  missed  at 
night,  for  we  often  left  the  train  for  long  side  trips.  The 
bluffs  had  already  been  named  from  one  starving  unfortu- 
nate, but  I  had  no  desire  to  add  my  own  name  to  its  history. 
As  I  walked  back  and  forth  along  that  gallery,  looking 
upward  and  downward  for  some  line  of  escape,  the  prospect 
was  not  cheerful.  I  suddenly  became  both  hungry  and 
thirsty. 

A  long,  dry,  cedar  log  lay  upon  the  hard  floor  of  the 
gallery,  and  I  wearily  sat  upon  it  for  a  brief  period  of 
silent  meditation.  The  broad  landscape  to  the  south 
stood  out  clear  and  beautiful  in  the  sunlight,  and  far  be- 
neath, at  the  foot  of  the  cliffs,  the  dark,  cedars  in  the  shade 
were  in  mild  contrast  with  the  dull  gray  of  the  steep, 
clayey  cliffs  to  which  they  clung  on  either  side;  but  the 
landscape  seemed  at  that  time  to  have  lost  much  of  its 
interest,  although  it  produced  a  lasting  impression.  The 
cedar  log  was  a  straight,  slender,  tapering  shaft  possibly 
fifty  feet  in  length.  It  was  hardly  more  than  eight  inches 
in  diameter  at  its  butt.  Being  without  bark,  it  had 
doubtless  rested  there  for  many  years,  and  was  thoroughly 
dried  out  as  was  nearly  everything  else  in  that  climate, 
which  was  arid  the  greater  part  of  the  year.     Taking  hold 


162        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

of  one  end  of  the  log,  and  without  any  definite  idea  why 
I  did  it,  I  was  surprised  to  discover  how  light  it  had  be- 
come through  seasoning.  Either  end  of  it  could  be  lifted 
without  great  effort. 

At  the  western  end  of  the  gallery  upon  which  I  stood, 
and  far  below  it,  was  the  ravine,  which  from  that  point 
seemed  to  be  continuous,  and  made  a  rapid  descent  to  the 
foot  of  the  mountain.  It  was  comparatively  narrow,  and 
two  or  three  tall  cedars  on  its  opposite  side  sprang  out  from 
a  little  ledge  in  the  chff.  Some  limbs  in  one  of  the  cedars 
were  hardly  more  than  thirty  or  thirty-five  feet  distant 
from  the  wall  of  the  rock  upon  which  I  stood,  and  on  a 
lower  level.  A  practical  thought  finally  came  into  my 
mind.  Carefully  breaking  from  the  lug  the  stubs  of 
limbs  and  twigs  which  remained  upon  it  all  of  which  were 
found  to  be  very  brittle,  I  planned  to  slide  tliis  log  over 
the  edge  of  the  gallery,  so  that  the  smaller  end,  which 
happened  to  be  in  the  right  direction,  would  find  a  lodge- 
ment somewhere  in  the  limbs  of  the  live  cedars  across  the 
ravine,  leaving  the  larger  end  supported  on  the  gallery, 
thereby  constructing  a  bridge. 

I  spent  considerable  time  in  calculating  this  problem, 
for  I  certainly  believed  that  my  life  depended  upon  the 
success  of  the  plan.  I  slowly  moved  the  log  along  so  that  it 
projected  beyond  the  gallery,  and  then  carefully  considered 
the  proper  direction  for  pushing  it  further.  Laying  aside 
revolver  and  field  glass,  I  prepared  for  the  one  supreme 
effort.  All  the  strength  at  my  command  was  put  behind 
the  log  as  I  balanced  and  then  vigorously  pushed  it  on- 
ward beyond  the  brink.  Surveying  the  result,  I  was 
gratified  after  the  first  effort  to  discover  that  it  had  not 
fallen  into  the  depths  below  and  that  the  end  had  caught 
upon  a  small  limb,  which  proved  strong  enough  tempo- 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  SCOTT'S  BLUFFS         163 

rarily  to  support  it.  Another  push  and  a  careful  turn  of 
the  log  left  its  end  apparently  secure  near  the  junction  of 
a  small  limb  and  the  main  trunk  of  the  tree  near  its  top. 

The  bridge,  such  as  it  was,  being  completed,  I  again 
strapped  on  my  revolver,  and  taking  the  field  glasses,  sat 
astride  the  log  and  carefully  crept  along  it  to  avoid  any 
unnecessary  jarring,  my  only  doubt  in  accomplishing  the 
task  being  in  the  strength  of  the  old  log  and  of  the  small 
limb  which  supported  it.  The  distance  beneath  me  had 
no  more  terrors  than  forty  feet  would  naturally  have,  but 
when  I  laid  my  hands  upon  the  slender  trunk  of  the  live 
cedar  I  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief.  "Shinning"  down  a 
tree  was  a  simple  matter,  with  which  any  youth  would  he 
familiar.  After  reaching  the  base  of  the  tree  I  found 
other  trees  and  shrubs  that  aided  in  the  further  descent, 
although  there  were  a  few  other  terraces  or  perpendicular 
cliffs  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  in  height  over  which  I  dropped 
with  ease  and  safety. 

This  course  led  me  into  a  ravine,  which,  like  nearly  all 
such  erosions  in  that  country,  had  abrupt  sides,  averaging 
thirty  or  forty  feet  in  depth,  which  I  discovered  later  led 
to  the  Platte  River,  gradually  increasing  in  width  and 
depth  as  it  descended.  Some  miles  distant  it  was  crossed 
by  a  bridge  over  which  the  traffic  by  that  trail  passed. 
Followang  the  bottom  of  this  ravine,  or  dry  run,  until  I 
reached  a  point  slightly  outside  the  higher  walls  of  the 
bluffs,  I  there  came  upon  a  huge  pile  of  fossil  bones. 
Skeletons,  half  exposed,  proje<?ted  from  the  steep  sides  of 
the  deep  run  in  great  numbers.  Many  lay  strewn  upon 
the  bottom  of  the  ravines  where  they  had  been  left  strand- 
ed since  the  last  rains  in  quantities  enough  to  load  many 
wagons.  My  knowledge  of  osteology  was  very  limited, 
but  it  was  sufficiently  definite  to  enable  me  to  determine 


164        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

that  none  of  them  were  the  bones  of  creatures  Uke  any 
with  which  I  was  then  acquainted.  It  was  a  strange,  weird 
sight. 

Being  somewhat  weary  I  dropped  down  in  the  shady 
side  of  the  ravine  to  rest  and  gazed  up  and  down  at  the 
mute  records  of  the  past  which  were  scattered  around  me. 
It  seemed  as  if  the  monsters  whose  bones  lay  there  were 
suddenly  reincarnated.  A  group  of  Titanotheria  seemed 
to  be  assembled  in  a  vast  bod}';  the  Rhinoceros,  Oreodon, 
and  diminutive  horse  such  as  lived  in  those  parts,  were 
gathered  around,  each  apparently  ready  to  tell  its  tale  of 
events  which  no  man  ever  had  heard  before.  A  Titanothe- 
rium  Robustum,  smacking  its  huge  jaws,  turned  its  dull 
eyes  upward  to  the  summit  of  the  great  bluff  700  feet 
above  where  I  was  resting,  and  then  turning  its  gaze 
toward  me,  said,  "What  are  you.^  You  are  the  first 
specimen  of  your  genus  that  has  ever  passed  this  way. 
How  old  are  you.^"  "A  score  or  two  of  years,"  I  replied. 
There  was  a  roar  of  grunts  doubtless  intended  for  laughter 
which  echoed  up  and  down  the  ravine,  and  the  pachyderm 
looked  at  the  oreodon  and  smiled.  Continuing,  the  Ti- 
tanotherium  said,  "  Do  you  see  the  top  of  that  lofty  bluff.'' " 
I  nodded  yes.  "Well,  that  is  young,  and  it  is  not  more 
than  three  or  four  decillion  years  since  this  country  was 
pushed  up  and  has  been  washing  down  the  river.  Before 
that,  it  was  under  water  for  nearly  as  long  a  period,  be- 
cause it  was  mighty  slow  work  filling  in  all  that  1,500 
perpendicular  feet  of  clay  out  of  which  all  the  layers  of 
these  bluffs  are  made. " 

The  Rhinoceros  then  grunted  out  his  reminiscences,  to 
the  effect  that  all  that  occurred  long  after  his  day,  because 
he  was  doing  business  before  the  beginning  of  that  vast 
cycle  when  the  country  was  so  deep  under  water,  and 


THE  IVri'STERY  OF  SCOTT'S  BLUFFS         165 

before  these  deposits  were  made.  Continuing,  he  added, 
"Away  back  in  those  times  a  very  bad  spell  of  wet  weather 
and  floods  occurred,  when  we  all  were  caught  and  stuck 
in  this  swamp  which  finally  dried  up  on  all  this  great 
crowd  of  companions  of  a  bygone  age.  Since  we  were 
washed  out  by  the  last  winter  and  spring  rains  which 
swept  down  this  gully  we  have  seen  nothing,  and  you  are 
the  first  two-legged  creature  we  ever  saw,  except  a  few 
dinosaurs,  and  but  very  few  of  them  lived  in  these  parts. " 
After  this  dreamy  colloquy  I  woke  up  from  my  little 
rest,  and  the  shadows  of  the  prehistoric  pachyderm.s 
vanished,  but  the  thousands  of  bones  were  still  protruding 
from  the  walls  of  the  deep  ravine. 

"The  waters  stood  upon  the  mountains; 

At  Thy  rebuke  they  fled; 

He  uncovereth  deep  things  out  of  darkness. 

And  bringeth  out  to  light  the  shadow  of  death. " 

I  picked  up  a  massive  femur,  and  put  it  upon  my  shoul- 
der to  show  to  the  boys  as  a  trophy,  but  it  soon  became 
too  heavy,  and  I  dropped  it  behind  me,  perhaps  to  be 
moved  along  a  little  further  toward  the  Platte  River  by 
the  next  spring  flood.  In  time  it  doubtless  found  another 
resting  place  in  those  soft  river  sands,  possibly  to  be 
exhumed  in  some  future  geological  period,  to  lead  the 
finder  into  some  wild  chain  of  reasoning  concerning  its 
history.  I  reached  the  train,  which  was  camped  six  miles 
west,  and  told  my  story  to  the  boys,  and  after  supper  fell 
asleep. 

The  year  after  the  discovery  of  the  Grand  Canyon  of  the 
Colorado,  it  was  my  pleasure  personally  to  furnish  Pro- 
fessor Powell  with  a  careful  description  of  the  location  of 
these  remarkable  deposits  of  fossils  in  Scott's  Bluffs,  which 


166       THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

he  and  others  investigated  later.  At  that  time  I  believe 
no  investigation  of  those  fossil  beds  had  been  made  by 
scholars  qualified  to  classify  them. 

Amid  all  the  intricacies  of  the  ravines  that  run  down 
the  bluff  sides,  it  would  be  difficult  to  indicate  any  loca- 
tions there  with  exactness,  but  certain  landmarks  make 
this  one  to  which  I  now  refer  comparatively  easy  to 
describe.  A  professor  and  students  from  one  of  our 
universities  made  later  investigations  of  this  particular 
deposit  on  information  given  as  to  its  nature.  The  recent 
marvelous  agricultural  development  of  this  country  as  the 
result  of  an  irrigating  ditch  cut  near  these  bluffs  is  a 
revelation  to  those  who  first  saw  it  as  a  barren  area,  a  part 
of  what  was  well  named  the  Bad  Lands.  These  once 
barren  clay  lands  near  the  foot  of  Scott's  Bluffs  are  now, 
strange  to  relate,  highly  productive.  If  any  one  of  the 
young  ranchers  now  engaged  in  the  development  of  that 
country  would  care  to  follow  the  ravine  crossed  by  the 
bridge  over  the  old  trail  and  with  a  ladder  would  ascend 
a  few  cliffs  that  will  be  encountered  as  he  proceeds  along 
the  ravine,  and  then  climb  up  until  he  reaches  the  high 
precipice,  he  will  find  the  old  cedar  log  still  lying  across 
the  chasm  and  resting  on  the  tree  top,  for  no  one  would 
have  made  the  effort  to  remove  it,  and  nothing  decays  in 
that  pure  air. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

The  Peace  Pipe  at  Laramie 

LEAVING  the  fossil  beds,  a  six-mile  tramp  was 
made  to  a  point  beyond  Fort  IMitchell,  where 
the  train  was  reached.  The  com-se  lay  across  a 
dry  clay  land  which,  though  in  appearance 
hopelessly  sterile,  was  dotted  with  small  clumps  of  sage 
brush,  that  ubiquitous  bush  which  grows  almost  every- 
where in  those  western  alkaline  soils  both  on  the  plains 
and  on  the  mountain  slopes.  Useless  as  that  gnarly, 
stubby,  stunted  shrub  may  seem  to  be,  it  has  been  the 
salvation  of  thousands  of  travelers  for  whom  it  furnished 
the  exclusive  fuel  along  hundreds  of  miles  of  their  pilgrim- 
age. The  scant  foliage  of  this  species  of  Artemisia  has  a 
color,  taste,  and  odor  similar  to  that  of  the  ordinary  sage, 
and  all  of  these  qualities  especiall^^  the  flavor,  were  im- 
parted in  some  degree  to  the  sage  hens,  which  fed  in 
numbers  upon  the  plant. 

At  Fort  Mitchell  there  was  stationed  a  company  of 
soldiers  to  impress  upon  the  Indians  the  idea  that  the 
strong  military  arm  of  the  U.  S.  Government  extended 
over  the  West.  As  we  learned  later,  three  score  soldiers 
were  but  a  feeble  menace  to  the  thousands  of  dissatisfied 
warriors,  who  were  then  roaming  over  the  plains,  awaiting 
some  assurance  from  our  authorities  that  the  last  of  their 

167 


168        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

ancient  hunting  grounds  would  not  be  invaded  and  trav- 
ersed by  the  whites. 

Eight  miles  further  on  we  camped  for  the  night  on  the 
banks  of  the  North  Platte  River,  where,  finding  clear 
water  and  good  forage  for  stock,  we  planned  a  day  of  rest. 
Near  that  point  first  loomed  upon  our  view  in  the  west 
the  dark  summits  of  Laramie  Peak  and  the  serrated  fine  of 
jagged  pinnacles  in  the  less  prominent  range  beyond.  No 
snow  was  visible  upon  them,  and  the  somber  mountain 
pines  presented  but  little  contrast  to  the  shadowy  gorges, 
while  the  peaks  like  "splinters  of  the  mountain  chain 
stood  black  against  the  sky. " 

Crossing  Horse-Shoe  Creek,  our  trail  led  us  at  once  into 
what  was  then  Dakota  Territory,  but  which  in  1868 
became  Wyoming  Territory,  and  in  July,  1890,  the  State 
of  Wyoming.  This  state  has  now  become  renowned  as  a 
grand  museum  of  Nature's  wonders,  and  possibly  presents 
the  most  numerous  and  remarkable  varieties  of  interest- 
ing scenery  and  freaks  of  Nature,  known  to  exist 
anywhere. 

Its  lofty  mountain  chains  and  matchless  canyons;  its 
spectacular  geysers  and  fountains  of  unending  diversity 
in  quality,  and  every  degree  of  temperature  from  boiling 
springs  to  those  which  are  said  to  produce  ice  by  chemical 
processes;  its  beautiful  mountain  lakes  and  magnificent 
cataracts,  all  combine  to  make  it  a  land  of  marvels.  All 
these  forms  of  Nature's  works  I  have  seen  in  camp  life  in 
Wyoming. 

Possibly  because  of  its  location  and  the  abundance  of 
its  game,  it  became  the  final  stronghold  of  the  Indians. 
Its  entire  white  population,  at  the  time  of  my  first  visit, 
was  probably  exceeded  l)y  thousands  of  western  villages, 
and  but  a  small  percentage  of  the  number  were  women. 


THE  PEACE  PIPE  AT  LARAMIE  169 

There  were  enough  of  the  latter,  however,  to  secure  the 
adoption  of  woman's  suffrage  by  the  first  legislative 
assembly  of  the  state,  and  social  conditions  then  gave  rise 
to  the  oft-repeated  couplet, 

"  Baby,  baby,  don't  get  in  a  fury. 
Your  mamma's  gone  to  sit  on  the  jury. " 

As  indicating  that  the  spirit  of  woman's  freedom  was 
in  the  very  atmosphere  of  that  country  long  before  her 
rights  were  established  by  legislative  enactment,  I  state 
it  as  a  fact  that  our  first  camp  in  that  territory  was  made 
near  a  pool  of  alkaline  water,  in  which  each  member  of 
our  party  personally  and  simultaneously  laundered  his 
flannels  and  silk  handkerchiefs,  a  purification  that  was 
greatly  needed. 

It  was  an  inspiring  if  not  "a  sublime  sight, "  to  see  eight 
stalwart  men  diligently  scrub  their  garments  in  the  margin 
of  the  pool,  and  hang  them  to  dry  upon  the  stiff  branches 
of  the  sage  bushes  in  that  bright,  pure  sunlight.  The  pool 
proved  to  be  the  home  of  insect  life,  for  the  early  evening 
brought  myriads  of  "fair  insects  .  .  .  with  thread- 
like legs  spread  out,  and  blood-extracting  bill  and  filmy 
wing,"  which  tortured  us  until  the  morning  dawned, 
when  we  decided  to  move  onward,  and  fly  possibly  to  other 
evils  that  we  knew  not  of. 

As  we  moved  further  westward,  the  scenery  became 
more  attractive  and  many  objects  of  interest  invited  our 
attention.  Among  these  was  an  apparently  newly-made 
grave  in  the  shade  of  two  small  and  lonely  trees.  The 
earthly  journey  of  some  unfortunate  traveler  had  been 
ended  before  it  was  really  completed.  Such  a  discovery 
will  cause  even  the  most  careless  wayfarer  to  pause  and 
think  at  least  for  a  moment  on  the  great  problems  of  life 


170        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

and  death,  and  otherwise  ponder  much  more  than  he  would 
among  a  thousand  graves  in  a  potter's  field.  I  soon 
noticed  a  card  high  up  in  the  trunk  of  one  of  the  trees  and 
fastened  to  it  by  a  rusty  horseshoe  nail.  I  immediately 
called  some  of  the  boys  to  see  it.  Upon  the  uncolored 
face  of  the  card  was  printed  a  black  figure  somewhat 
Egj'ptian  in  outline.  One  after  another  of  our  party  upon 
inspection  failed  to  understand  the  significance  or  relevancy 
of  the  cabalistic  design.  Pete  from  a  distance  at  once 
declared  that  it  was  a  Jack  of  Spades,  which  in  fact  it  was, 
but  others  were  deciphering  a  somewhat  faded  epitaph 
written  upon  the  margin  with  a  lead  pencil,  which  finally 
read  as  follows: 

"He  played  his  last  trump  and  lost." 

What  could  have  been  the  meaning  of  this  occult  sen- 
tence? I  think  it  was  a  soldier  who  informed  us  that  a 
man  had  been  killed  there  in  a  fight,  and  that  was  all  the 
soldier  knew  of  the  matter,  except  that  the  man  had  been 
appropriately  epitaphed.  There  was  no  coroner  or  court 
of  justice  in  those  parts,  and  every  man  in  that  country 
seemed  to  be  a  law  unto  himself.  The  period  of  the 
Vigilantes  was  hardly  yet  in  its  bloom  in  Wyoming,  but 
it  is  interesting  to  hear  described  the  manner  in  which 
justice  was  summarily  administered  by  a  self-appointed 
tribunal,  which  also  assumed  the  functions  of  executioner. 
There  was  little  complaint  of  the  law's  delays  in  Wyoming, 
and  the  defendant  did  not  suffer  the  embarrassment  of 
being  conducted  through  a  gaping  throng  to  a  lofty  gallows. 
The  nearest  tree  served  the  purpose.  There  would  be  no 
time  to  issue  tickets,  and  the  charge  was  more  likely  to  be 
horse  stealing  than  any  other  crime.  Still,  it  was  true 
that  deadly  encounters  were  often  the  result  of  quarrels 


THE  PEACE  PIPE  AT  LARAMIE  171 

over  unimportant  matters.  It  seems  difficult  to  pass 
judgment  upon  the  acts  of  vigorous  men  who,  having  but 
Uttle  self-restraint,  are  freed  from  the  restraints  of  law. 
Behind  the  bravado  and  the  readiness  to  pull  a  gun  on  the 
slightest  provocation,  there  were  often  noble  and  generous 
impulses  which,  when  these  men  were  merged  into  a 
settled  community,  led  many  of  them  to  become  strong, 
law-abiding  citizens. 

A  few  years  later  than  the  occurrence  just  narrated,  I 
chanced  to  spend  a  few  days  in  Silverton,  Colorado,  when 
that  town  was  in  the  first  flush  of  its  mining  successes.  As 
I  was  walking  along  the  street  one  Sabbath  afternoon  with 
an  old  boyhood  friend,  Judge  Montague,  we  passed  a  large 
and  very  busy  gambling  saloon.  Its  entire  one-story  front 
was  wide  open  to  the  street.  Scores  of  men  were  at  the 
tables  playing  cards,  and  the  long  bar  near  the  front  was 
crowded  with  patrons.  The  Judge,  calling  me  as  usual 
by  my  old  nickname,  said,  "I  will  tell  j'ou  a  story  of  this 
saloon,"  and  he  proceeded  as  follows: 

"A  short  time  ago  a  home  missionary.  Rev.  Mr.  P — , 
came  to  Silverton,  and  having  learned  that  I  had  been  a 
church  attendant  in  the  East,  he  called  upon  me,  and 
asked  if  I  would  give  him  some  assistance  that  would  aid 
him  in  the  establishment  of  a  church  in  this  mining  town. " 
Having  explained  the  character  of  the  community,  the 
Judge  said  to  the  missionary,  "  If  you  will  go  where  I  shall 
take  you,  I  will  see  what  can  be  done."  There  was  then 
no  house  of  worship  in  Silverton.  The  missionary  prompt- 
ly assented.  "Then,"  continued  the  Judge,  "I  led  him  at 
once  into  this  gambling  house  and  up  to  the  bar.  Calling 
for  the  proprietor,  I  introduced  the  missionary  and  said, 
'You  know  we  have  no  church  in  Silverton  and  Rev.  P — 
desires  to  help  us  raise  some  money  to  apply  toward  the 


172        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

building  of  one.'  'No  church  in  Silverton?'  shouted  the 
saloon  proprietor,  with  apparent  disgust.  'No,'  I  replied, 
'not  one!'  Then  with  a  series  of  oaths,  vigorously  em- 
phasized by  a  blow  of  his  fist  upon  the  bar,  which  made  the 
minister  tremble,  he  declared  that  it  was  a  d — d  shame  and 
showed  a  lack  of  enterprise.  He  added,  'If  we  are  ever 
going  to  have  a  first-class  town  we've  got  to  have  every- 
thing that's  a-going.  Ye  want  something  out  of  me?' 
'Yes,'  I  replied,  'we  should  be  pleased  to  have  you  head 
the  subscription  list,  and  I  thought  that  about  two  hundred 
dollars  would  be  about  right  for  your  place.'  The  young 
missionary  gulped  and  held  his  breath.  'All  right,'  said 
the  proprietor,  as  he  inscribed  his  name  on  the  paper, 
'we've  got  to  have  everything  that's  a-goin'  if  we  have  any 
kind  of  a  town.  Now  what'U  you  have  with  me,  gentle- 
men?' as  he  firmly  slammed  upon  the  counter  two  or  three 
bottles,  'and,  by  the  way,  I've  got  a  little  good,  old  whiskey 
here  made  before  the  war,  that  I  keep  back  for  my  friends.' " 
In  following  up  the  history  of  the  little  Congregational 
Church,  the  genesis  of  which  was  in  the  heart  of  a  mission- 
ary, at  the  bar  of  a  gambler,  it  may  be  of  interest  to  relate 
an  incident  that  seems  quite  grotesque  and  further  illus- 
trates the  strange  blending  of  extremes  in  the  characters 
of  the  West.  A  young  minister,  H.  P.  Roberts,  was  sent 
later  to  the  same  Silverton  work,  and  pending  the  construc- 
tion of  a  new  church,  services  were  held  in  a  schoolhouse. 
On  the  last  Christmas  previous  to  the  transfer  to  the  new 
edifice,  some  exercises  were  being  held  for  the  children. 
Late  in  the  evening  there  was  sent  to  the  schoolhouse  and 
hung  upon  the  Christmas  tree  a  woman's  stocking  sent  as 
a  gift  to  the  young  minister  by  one  Jim  Brown,  another 
notorious  saloon-keeper.  On  delivering  to  the  minister 
the  article  of  wearing  apparel,  for  \\  hich  he  apparently  had 


THE  PEACE  PIPE  AT  LARAMIE  173 

no  present  need,  it  was  found  to  contain  a  pack  of  cards,  a 
box  of  dice,  and,  what  was  greatly  needed,  sixty  silver 
dollars.  It  had  been  collected  by  Brown  from  members 
of  his  profession  as  his  voluntary  act  and  expression  of 
good  will.  Brown  was  killed  not  long  after  by  an  old, 
one-armed  marshal  named  Ward,  who  in  turn  soon  met 
the  same  fate.  This  incident  is  fully  verified  by  a  recent 
letter  from  a  pioneer  woman  who  was  a  member  of  that 
church  and  was  also  a  witness  to  the  event  at  the  school- 
house.  The  sixty  dollars  may  have  been  tainted  money 
(if  it  is  possible  to  taint  a  well-inspired  benefaction),  but 
the  act  sheds  a  soft  ray  of  light  upon  the  life  of  a  man 
whose  career  and  character  were  generally  regarded  as 
dark. 

On  the  following  day,  after  passing  the  grave  by  the 
two  trees,  we  dro^'e  thirteen  miles.  As  we  were  slowly 
moving  along  in  the  afternoon  over  the  hea\y  sands  and 
up  a  long  but  rather  gentle  slope,  we  suddenly  observed 
two  wagons  with  mule  teams  approaching  from  the  west, 
the  animals  being  driven  at  the  top  of  their  speed  under 
the  lash  of  the  drivers.  On  discovering  us,  the  drivers 
motioned  in  an  agitated  manner  toward  Fred  and  me  who 
were  riding  on  horseback,  indicating  that  they  wished  us 
to  halt.  We  accordingly  stopped  the  train  and  awaited 
their  arrival.  They  at  once  reported  a  large  band  of 
Indians  approaching.  Having  seen  the  Indians  in  the 
distance,  the  drivers  had  quickly  turned  their  teams,  and 
were  endeavoring  to  escape  from  possible  trouble.  We 
all  deemed  it  prudent  to  remain  near  where  we  were,  and 
await  the  arrival  of  the  band  which  was  reported  to  be 
following  the  trail.  It  soon  began  to  appear  over  the 
crest  of  the  hill  and  nmch  to  our  satisfaction  was  evidently 
not  a  war  party.     It  was  an  Indian  village  on  horseback, 


174        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

consisting  of  several  hundred  Sioux  with  their  famiUes 
and  the  ordinary  equipment  of  Indian  lodges,  which  were 
being  transported  upon  several  hundred  horses  and  ponies. 
There  is  ordinarily  little  to  fear  from  such  a  body,  as 
Indians  are  not  inclined  to  make  trouble  when  there  is 
danger  to  their  waves  and  papooses,  although  the  average 
Indian  squaw  doubtless  shared  the  passion  of  her  chief  in 
time  of  war  and  was  accustomed  to  strife  and  bloodshed. 

In  many  of  their  battles,  when  the  prospect  of  an 
Indian  victory  seems  certain,  the  squaws  and  children  are 
placed  at  some  point  of  vantage,  to  witness  the  sport  and 
the  tortures.  This  was  notably  true  in  the  attack  of 
Roman  Nose,  with  one  thousand  warriors,  on  Forsythe's 
little  band  on  the  so-called  Island  of  Death  in  the  Arrikaree 
River,  in  that  year.  The  squaws  took  a  safe  position 
on  the  bluffs,  as  did  the  matrons  in  the  days  of  Rome's 
glory,  when  they  witnessed  the  brutal  contests  in  the 
Coliseum. 

We  had  courteously  driven  out  a  short  distance  from 
the  trail  to  give  the  Indians  a  free  passage.  Our  horses 
seemed  not  pleased  with  the  appearance  of  the  strange 
cavalcade,  for  they  reared  and  plunged  in  an  effort  to 
escape.  Hitching  our  saddle  horses  to  wagons,  Ben,  Fred 
and  I  stopped  close  to  the  trail,  and  each  of  us  courteously 
and  fearlessly  as  possible  saluted  one  after  another  of  this 
band  as  they  passed,  with  the  familiar  word,  "How." 
Not  even  a  grunt  or  motion  came  in  return  for  our  saluta- 
tion. Their  eyes  were  turned  toward  us  as  they  passed, 
but,  to  use  a  society  phrase,  they  cut  us  and  turn?d  us 
down.  All  appeared  to  be  glum,  sullen  and  disgruntled, 
and  we  were  happy  to  see  them  move  on  at  a  steady  pace. 

In  this  Indian  train  there  was  possibly  material  for  a 
hundred  lodges.     The  lodge  poles  were  carried  on  the 


THE  PEACE  PIPE  AT  LARAMIE  175 

backs  of  ponies,  an  equal  number  on  either  side,  the  large 
end  of  the  pole  dragging  far  behind  upon  the  ground.  In 
many  cases  a  little  hammock-like  affair,  suspended  be- 
tween the  poles  behind  a  pony,  carried  a  papoose,  whose 
unshaded  face  looked  up  toward  the  glaring  sun.  Other 
ponies  were  loaded  wdth  camp  material  of  varied  kinds, 
on  top  of  which  in  some  cases  were  squaws  and  children. 
All  the  men  and  nearly  all  the  squaws  were  mounted. 
There  was  an  excellent  opportunity  to  observe  the  faces 
of  all  who  passed,  although  there  was  little  to  be  learned 
from  their  expressions  concerning  any  of  their  emotions, 
for  they  were  solemn  and  undemonstrative.  It  required 
a  long  time  for  all  to  pass,  for  they  did  not  move  in  a 
compact  body  but  were  generally  in  single  file,  except 
that  here  and  there  some  young  warrior  rode  beside  a 
tawny  maiden.  There  was  no  hostile  demonstration,  nor 
did  they  pause  a  single  moment  on  their  onward  march. 

On  the  following  morning,  while  riding  our  horses  over 
a  slight  elevation,  we  came  in  sight  of  the  swollen  current 
of  the  Laramie  River,  which  rushed  into  view  from  around 
some  highlands  not  far  away  at  our  left;  its  swiftly  flowing 
waters  plunged  along  before  us  and  onward  into  those  of 
the  North  Platte  not  more  than  a  mile  away  at  our  right. 

The  first  view  of  the  scene  spread  out  before  us  across 
the  river  aroused  our  profound  interest,  chiefly  because 
the  consideration  of  some  very  grave  questions  had  caused 
a  large  and  unusual  gathering  of  warriors  to  be  assembled 
there,  whose  conclusions  would  result  either  in  peace  or 
savage,  bloody  war.  Directly  in  front  of  us,  and  near  the 
opposite  bank  of  the  stream,  stood  the  historic  old  post, 
Fort  Laramie.  It  consisted  of  the  usual  plaza,  or  parade 
ground,  in  the  form  of  a  parallelogram,  equal  in  size  to  an 
average  city  block.     On  each  of  its  four  sides  were  build- 


176        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

ings,  some  of  which  were  two  stories  in  height,  some  of 
but  one  story.  It  could  be  clearly  seen  that  of  the  twenty- 
five  or  thirty  structures  around  the  square,  some  were 
built  of  logs,  others  of  adobe,  and  a  few  were  framed. 

To  the  right  of  these,  and  wholly  removed  from  the 
square,  were  seven  or  eight  long  and  low  buildings  each  of 
which  we  learned  later,  was  used  for  one  of  the  various 
trades  of  carpentry,  blacksmithing,  horseshoeing,  etc., 
and  for  quartermasters'  supplies.  Seemingly  not  more 
than  three-fourths  of  a  mile  beyond  the  river,  a  steep  but 
smooth-surfaced  bank  rose  rather  abruptly  several  hun- 
dred feet  from  the  river  valley  to  what  appeared  to  be  a 
rough  and  rocky  table-land.  Toward  our  right  and  up 
the  least  abrupt  and  lowest  part  of  the  table-land,  were 
clearly  seen  the  lines  of  the  Oregon  trail  leading  on  west- 
ward from  Laramie  over  the  hills  to  the  Platte  River 
Valley  beyond.  Somewhat  to  the  left  and  towering  far 
beyond  and  above  the  crest  of  the  high,  barren,  and  tree- 
less table-land,  rose  Laramie  Peak. 

All  these  were  then  of  interest  simply  as  being  the  frame- 
work of  the  striking  picture  that  lay  in  the  foreground. 
Extending  out  to  the  further  margin  of  the  valley  beyond 
the  post,  also  to  the  right  and  the  left  of  it  on  the  plain 
was  a  city  of  Indian  lodges,  each  of  which  stood  out  a 
white  cone  surmounted  by  its  fringe  of  projecting  lodge 
poles.  The  lodges  appeared  to  be  centered  into  groups 
or  villages.  Parties  of  Indians,  a  few  only  mounted,  could 
be  seen  in  many  of  the  open  places. 

A  flagstaff  from  which  floated  our  national  colors  rose 
from  near  a  corner  of  the  rectangle  which  indicated  the 
local  seat  of  authority  and  the  quarters  for  the  regimental 
band. 

The  river,  which  was  between  us  and  the  Fort,  was 


THE  PEACE  PIPE  AT  LARAMIE  177 

swollen  by  a  flood.  It  seemed  important,  however,  that 
we  should  visit  the  post  and  learn  as  much  as  possible 
concerning  the  pending  negotiations  with  the  tribes. 
Ben,  Fred,  Pete,  and  I,  therefore,  decided  to  swim  the 
river  on  horses.  The  current  was  exceedingly  swift  and 
deep,  but  though  it  carried  us  down  stream  a  long  distance, 
we  reached  the  western  bank  without  serious  difficulty. 
We  then  wondered  how  our  train  would  cross.  On  reach- 
ing the  post  we  at  once  entered  the  quadrangle  and  for  a 
few  moments  watched  the  movements  which  were  passing 
before  us  in  that  place,  which  from  the  beginning  of  its 
history  had  been  the  most  important  center  for  inter- 
course between  the  Indians  and  whites  that  existed  in 
our  country.  It  was  first  established  in  1834  by  Mr. 
Robert  Campbell,  a  successful  fur  trader  and  merchant, 
whom  I  have  often  seen;  and  as  stated  by  Larpenteur,  the 
river  and  the  post  were  named  in  memory  of  Joaques  La 
Ramie,  a  French  trapper  said  to  have  been  killed  on  that 
stream  by  the  Arapahoes. 

The  post  was  purchased  in  1849  by  the  U.  S,  Govern- 
ment and  materially  remodeled  then,  as  it  has  also  been 
since.  There  was  no  real  fortification  to  be  found  at  Fort 
Laramie.  A  few  soldiers  were  on  parade  and  others  were 
visible  around  the  barracks.  We  immediately  went  to 
headquarters  and  held  interviews  with  various  oflBcials. 
We  were  informed  that  more  than  7,000  Indians,  consist- 
ing of  bands  of  Ogallala  and  Minnecongoux  Sioux,  also 
Cheyennes  and  Arapahoes,  and  a  few  Mountain  Crows 
who  were  interested  in  the  question  at  issue,  had  assembled 
to  participate  in  the  proposed  treaty.  The  officers  in- 
formed us  that  the  main  object  to  be  sought  by  the  Govern- 
ment was  the  opening  of  the  new  route  from  Fort  Laramie 
to  Montana  via  the  head  waters  of  Powder  and  Big  Horn 


178        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Rivers.  The  Indians  objected  to  any  travel  through  that 
country,  which  was  their  most  valuable  hunting  ground. 

We  also  learned  with  pleasure  that  there  was  a  bridge 
further  down  the  stream,  of  which  we  had  not  known. 
We  re-crossed  the  river  by  swimming  our  horses.  Hitch- 
ing our  teams,  we  drove  to  the  bridge  and  after  paying 
three  dollars  toll  for  each  wagon,  crossed  upon  it  and 
camped  on  the  Platte  River  bottoms,  near  the  junction 
of  the  Laramie  and  North  Platte.  The  day  had  been 
intensely  hot,  the  mercury  at  the  post  registering  98  de- 
grees. 

Although  we  had  not  learned  how  soon  we  should  be 
permitted  to  proceed  on  our  journey,  it  seemed  proper 
that  we  should  further  investigate  the  progress  of  affairs 
and  ascertain  what  was  the  prospect  for  peace.  We, 
therefore,  again  entered  the  reservation  and  now  inter- 
viewed Mr.  Seth  Ward,  who  was  said  to  be  the  best  in- 
formed man  concerning  those  matters  to  be  found  at  Lara- 
mie. This  idea  seemed  to  be  quite  reasonable,  because  the 
military  was  supposed  to  be  in  a  sense  partisan.  We 
modestly  approached  the  pompous  Mr.  Ward,  who  we 
were  told  was  the  sutler.  He  wore  fine  clothes,  and  a 
soft,  easy  hat.  A  huge  diamond  glittered  in  his  shirt 
front.  He  moved  quietly  roimd  as  if  he  were  master  of 
the  situation,  and  with  that  peculiar  air  so  often  affected 
by  men  who  are  financially  prosperous  and  self-satisfied. 
He  seemed  to  be  a  good  fellow  and  was  in  every  respect 
courteous.  He  assured  us  that  the  Indians  would  be 
"handled  all  right"  and  that  there  need  be  no  fear  of 
further  trouble. 

As  a  business  proposition,  it  was  manifestly  to  the 
advantage  of  the  sutler  and  agents  that  some  treaty  be 
made,  for  the  reason  that  every  Indian  treaty  involves 


THE  PEACE  PIPE  AT  LAKAISIIE  179 

the  gi\'ing  of  many  presents  and  other  valuable  considera- 
tions. Whatever  the  Indians  may  finally  receive  become 
articles  of  exchange  in  trade.  In  this  the  astute  sutler 
profits  largely,  as  the  Indian  has  little  knowledge  of  the 
intrinsic  value  of  manufactured  goods  and  the  sutler  en- 
joyed exclusive  rights  of  trafiic  with  them  at  the  posts. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  soldiers  and  many  others  expressed 
the  opinion  that  no  satisfactory  agreement  would  be 
reached.  The  demand  of  the  Government  as  declared 
to  the  writer  by  Colonel,  now  General  H.  B.  Carrington, 
was  that  it  should  have  the  right  to  establish  one  or  more 
military  posts  on  that  road  in  the  country  in  question. 
All  the  Indians  occupying  that  territory  were  refusing  to 
accept  the  terms,  saying  that  it  was  asking  too  much  of 
their  people,  in  fact  it  was  asking  all  they  had,  and  it  would 
drive  away  their  game. 

While  these  negotiations  were  going  on  with  Red  Cloud 
and  the  leading  chiefs,  to  induce  them  to  yield  to  the 
Government  the  right  to  establish  the  military  posts, 
Colonel  Carrington  arrived  at  Laramie  with  about  700 
officers  and  men  of  the  18th  U.  S.  Infantry.  Carrington 
was  then  already  en  mute  to  the  Powder  River  country,  to 
build  and  occupy  the  proposed  military  posts  along  the 
Montana  road,  pursuant  to  orders  from  headquarters  of 
the  Department  of  the  Missouri,  Major  General  Pope 
commanding. 

The  destination  and  purpose  of  Colonel  Carrington  were 
communicated  to  the  chiefs,  who  recognized  this  action  on 
the  part  of  the  Government  as  a  determination  on  its  part 
to  occupy  the  territory  regardless  of  any  agreement. 
Red  Cloud  and  his  followers  spurned  the  offers  which 
were  made  for  their  liirthright  and  indignantly  left  the 
reservation  to  defend  their  hunting  grounds,  and  as  we 


180        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

then  believed  and  learned  later,  went  immediately  on  the 
war  path.  As  stated  in  the  Government  reports,  they 
"at  once  commenced  a  relentless  war  against  all  whites, 
both  citizens  and  soldiers."  The  great  Chief,  Red  Cloud, 
and  his  followers  were  now  no  longer  a  party  to  the  negotia- 
tions, but  thousands  of  other  warriors  and  chiefs  were 
induced  to  remain. 

We  later  strolled  out  among  the  buffalo  skin  lodges  and 
among  the  many  warriors  who  were  grouped  here  and 
there  on  the  level  land  around  the  post.  The  faces  of  the 
older  Red  ISIen,  who  still  remained,  clearly  indicated 
dissatisfaction  and  defiance. 

"And  they  stood  there  on  the  meadow 
With  their  weapons  and  their  war  gear 
Painted  like  the  leaves  of  autumn, 
Painted  like  the  sky  of  morning, 
Wildly  glaring  at  each  other; 
In  their  faces  stern  defiance, 
In  their  hearts  the  feud  of  ages. 
The  hereditary  hatred. 
The  ancestral  thirst  of  vengeance." 

It  appeared  finally  that  in  the  determination  to  make 
some  kind  of  treaty  the  commissioner  brought  into  council 
a  large  number  of  chiefs,  but  as  the  information  came  to  us, 
they  were  from  bands  that  did  not  occupy  any  part  of  the 
country  along  the  route  in  question.  Some  of  these  had 
resided  near  Fort  Laramie;  others,  the  Brule  Sioux,  occu- 
pied the  \Miite  Earth  River  valley;  and  still  others  were 
from  along  the  tributaries  of  the  Kansas  River.  These 
bands  having  no  immediate  interest  in  the  hunting  grounds 
to  the  north,  were  induced  to  become  parties  to  a  treaty. 
The  proceedings  so  far  as  concerns  the  representatives  of 


THE  PEACE  PIPE  AT  LARAMIE  181 

the  Government,  seem  to  have  been  undignified  and 
unworthy  of  a  great  nation.  The  conclusion  of  a  treaty 
of  peace  w-ith  these  bands,  who  could  not  represent  the 
Northern  tribes,  seemed  a  farce.  The  military  arm  of  the 
Government  was  in  no  sense  a  party  to  the  agreement, 
their  function  being  solely  to  protect  the  whites  to  the 
best  of  their  ability.  The  force  at  the  command  of  Colonel 
Carrington  was  wholly  inadequate  for  this  duty.  Lar- 
penteur,  who  appears  to  have  attended  many  Indian 
treaties,  cites  the  Laramie  treaty  of  1851  as  one  of  many 
in  which  speculation  became  the  motive  for  its  consumma- 
tion. The  ostensible  purpose  of  that  treaty  was  to  accom- 
plish a  general  peace  between  all  the  tribes  on  the  Missouri 
and  Platte  Rivers.  For  that  purpose  two  or  three  chiefs 
of  each  tribe  were  invited  to  that  treaty.  The  agents 
must  have  known  well  that  the  other  bands  could  not  be 
held  responsible  according  to  Indian  usage  when  not 
represented.  The  fact  is  stated  that  the  Indians  on  their 
return  fought  with  each  other  before  they  reached  their 
home,  and  these  dissensions  were  promptly  followed  by 
renewed  warfare  against  the  whites. 

The  treaty  of  1866,  at  which  we  were  present,  such  as 
it  was,  having  been  concluded  by  the  chiefs  of  the 
thousand  Indians  who  remained,  the  coveted  presents 
were  distributed.  In  a  few  hours  more  the  friendly  camps 
were  ablaze  with  mounted  Indians  decked  in  yellow,  red, 
and  other  brilliantly  colored  cheap  fabrics  flying  in  the 
winds.  To  their  simple  tastes  these  tawdry  stuffs  were 
more  attractive  than  diamonds.  GUded  jewelry  was 
received  by  them  in  exchange  for  articles  of  real  value. 
We  were  informed  that  they  received  firearms  and  ammuni- 
tion, which  they  greatly  prize,  but  this  statement  is  not 
made  from  my  personal  knowledge. 


182        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

On  one  afternoon  we  were  present  at  what  we  understood 
was  the  council  or  peace  gathering  of  the  bands  that  had 
become  parties  to  the  treaty.  It  was  apparently  neces- 
sary that  these  bands  should  act  somewhat  in  harmony, 
and  an  Indian  ratification  meeting  was  quite  appropriate. 
The  chiefs  and  head  men,  sixty  or  seventy  in  number, 
were  seated  upon  buffalo  skins  spread  upon  the  ground  in 
a  great  circle,  and  behind  them  in  groups  stood  leading 
warriors.  Among  these  we  were  informed  were  Smft 
Bear,  Spotted  TaU,  Big  Mouth,  Standing  Elk,  and  Two 
Strikes.  At  the  head  of  the  line  was  a  chief  apparently 
much  advanced  in  years,  wearing  a  medal  suspended  by  a 
leather  cord  around  his  neck;  his  name  I  am  unable  to 
give.  The  exposed  side  of  the  medal  bore  the  insignia  of 
two  pipes  crossed.  During  the  solenm  ceremony  about 
to  be  performed  it  hardly  seemed  proper  to  scrutinize  too 
closely  these  emblems  of  authority,  but  one  of  the  boys 
stated  he  could  read  the  words  "James  Madison"  upon 
the  medal.  It  was  evidently  a  medal  presented  at  some 
former  treaty  and  upon  it  was  inscribed  the  name  of  the 
"great  father"  at  Washington. 

Treaties  were  made,  according  to  Government  reports, 
during  the  administration  of  Madison  in  1816  with  the 
Sioux  of  the  Leaf,  the  Sioux  of  the  Pine  Tops,  the  Sioux 
of  the  River,  and  other  tribes,  and  this  aged  chief  was 
doubtless  a  partj^  to  one  of  these  convocations. 

While  all  was  sil^iut  at  the  Laramie  ceremony  that  we 
witnessed,  there  was  handed  to  this  old  chief,  by  a  pipe- 
bearer,  with  some  flourishes  which  we  did  not  understand, 
the  calumet,  a  beautiful  redstone  pipe  having  a  long  stem. 
It  was  already  lighted.  Slowly  passing  the  peace  pipe  to 
his  lips  in  a  serious,  dignified  manner  and  with  no  expres- 
sion upon  his  face  that  could  be  interpreted,  the  old  chief 


THE  PEACE  PIPE  AT  LARAMIE  183 

took  from  it  two  or  three  long  drafts  ^\^th  marked  inter- 
vals between  them,  and  hardly  turning  his  head  passed 
it  to  the  chief  who  sat  at  his  right,  who  repeated  the  cere- 
mony. It  was  in  this  manner  conveyed  from  one  to 
another  until  the  circle  was  completed.  The  participa- 
tion in  this  ceremony  doubtless  was  understood  as  a  pledge 
of  amity  between  those  engaged  in  it,  and  as  a  confirmation 
of  a  mutual  agreement  concerning  the  matters  before 
them. 

It  is  a  fact  quite  generally  recognized  by  observers  of 
the  Indians  that  there  is  no  custom  more  universal  or 
more  highly  valued  by  the  Indian  than  that  of  smoking. 
The  pipe  is  his  companion  in  council ;  through  it  he  pledges 
his  friends ;  and  with  his  tomahawk  it  has  its  place  by  him 
in  his  grave  as  his  companion  in  the  happy  hunting  grounds 
beyond.  It  is,  therefore,  not  strange  that  the  pipe  should 
be  a  type  of  their  best  handiwork.  As  stated  by  Catlin, 
the  red  pipe-stone  from  which  all  existing  specimens  of 
Indian  pipes  appear  to  have  been  made,  was  obtained 
from  the  Pipestone  quarry  in  Minnesota  on  the  di\'iding 
ridge  between  the  St.  Peters  and  Missouri  Rivers.  It  was 
named  Catlinite  on  account  of  its  discovery  by  (Jeorge 
Catlin,  the  eminent  wTiter  and  artist,  who  made  it  the 
object  of  protracted  research.  Until  recent  years  the 
quarries  have  been  held  as  sacred  and  as  neutral  ground 
by  the  various  tribes.  It  was  there,  according  to  Indian 
tradition,  fully  described  in  early  records,  that  the  Great 
Spirit  called  the  Indian  nations  together  and  standing  upon 
a  precipice  of  the  red  pipe  rock  broke  from  its  wall  a  piece 
from  which  he  made  a  huge  pipe.  The  spirit  told  them 
that  they  must  use  this  rock  for  their  pipes  of  peace,  that 
it  belonged  to  them  all  and  that  the  war  club  must  never 
be  lifted  on  its  ground.     At  the  last  whiff  of  his  pipe  the 


184        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

head  of  the  spirit  went  into  a  great  cloud,  and  the  whole 
surface  of  the  rock  in  a  radius  of  several  miles  was  melted 
and  glazed.  The  legend,  ^-ith  others  which,  according 
to  early  records,  have  been  treasured  by  the  Indians,  was 
taken  by  Longfellow  to  form  the  first  picture  in  his  Hia- 
watha. 

SilHman's  Journal  of  Science  (Vol.  XXXVII,  page  394,) 
gives  an  analysis  of  Red  Pipestone.  It  is  pronounced  to 
be  a  mineral  compoimd  (and  not  steatite),  is  harder  than 
gypsum,  and  softer  than  carbonate  of  hme.  Specimens 
bear  as  high  a  luster  and  polish  as  melted  glass. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  the  reader  to  know  more  of  the 
ends  sought  by  these  treaties,  also  more  concerning  the 
contracting  parties.  In  separate  treaties,  all  of  the  same 
tenor  and  made  in  October,  1865,  with  various  tribes  of 
Sioux,  those  Indians  promised  to  be  very  good  and  to 
maintain  peaceful  relations  with  the  whites.  In  considera- 
tion therefor  the  U.  S.  Government  promised  to  pay  to 
each  family  or  lodge  the  sum  of  $25.00,  payable  annually 
for  a  stated  period,  also  to  distribute  to  the  widow  and 
the  seventeen  children  of  Ish-tah-cha-ne-aha  the  sum  of 
five  hundred  dollars,  said  friendly  chief  having  been  slain 
by  U.  S.  soldiers. 

To  one  of  these  instruments  were  affixed  the  signatures 
of  the  following  eminent  warriors,  whose  names  are  given 
in  the  form  in  which  they  appeared  on  one  of  the  docu- 
ments,— the  translation  also  being  written  as  shown. 


Cha-tan-ska, 

The  White  Chief. 

His  Mark 

E-to-kee-ah 

The  Hump, 

His  Mark 

Shon-ta-kee-desh-kar, 

The  Spotted  Bear  Chief, 

His  Mark 

Mah-to-to-pah, 

The  Four  Bears, 

His  Mark 

Chan-tay-o-me-ne-o-me-me, 

The  WTiirling  Heart, 

His  Mark 

Mah-to.a-chachah, 

The  Bear  that  is  Like  Him, 

His  Mark 

Taa-hoo-ka-zah-nom-p  ut. 

The  Two  Trfinces, 

His  Mark 

THE  PEACE  PIPE  AT  LARAMIE  185 

There  were  also  attached  fourteen  other  names  with  the 
signatures  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  United  States. 

In  April  and  May,  1868,  treaties  were  finally  concluded 
at  Fort  Laramie  with  the  Brule,  Ogallala,  and  other  Sioux, 
also  the  Arapahoes  and  Crows,  and  were  signed  by  scores 
of  their  chiefs  and  head  men;  General  W.  T.  Sherman,  also 
Generals  Harvey,  Terry,  and  Auger  acting  on  behalf  of  the 
U.  S.  Government. 


CHAPTER  XV 

Red  Cloud  on  the  War  Path 

THE  statement  that  a  satisfactory  treaty  had 
been  concluded  with  the  Indians  was  communi- 
cated to  the  various  parties  of  travelers  who  were 
camped  near  the  post.  There  being  a  sufficient 
number  of  armed  men  and  wagons  to  conform  to  the  rules 
of  the  War  Department,  ready  to  proceed  westward,  we 
were  ordered  to  move  on. 

But  where  was  the  great  chief.  Red  Cloud,  and  his 
savage  warriors  who,  enraged  because  of  the  precipitate 
advance  of  the  U.  S.  troops  into  the  very  territory  that 
was  under  consideration  at  the  council,  had  struck  out 
westward  with  the  avowed  purpose  of  defending  it  against 
all  comers.^  What  were  the  experiences  of  the  hundreds 
of  men,  women,  and  soldiers  who  in  that  fateful  season 
were  traversing  those  Wyoming  trails? 

A  recital  of  incidents  that  occurred  during  the  treaty, 
if  not  followed  by  some  reference  to  succeeding  events 
would,  figuratively  speaking,  leave  the  reader  high  in  the 
air.  On  examining  the  letters  and  messages  of  the  Presi- 
dents, I  find  revealed  therein  the  astonishing  fact  that 
even  our  chief  executive  was  long  in  ignorance  of  the  true 
situation  of  Indian  affairs  in  Wyoming.  It  would,  there- 
fore, not  be  strange  if  readers  generally  were  also  unin- 

186 


RED  CLOUD  ON  THE  WAR  PATH  187 

formed  upon  the  subject.  In  his  Annual  Message,  dated 
December  3,  1866,  President  Johnson,  referring  to  this 
Laramie  treaty,  informs  Congress  that  a  treaty  had  been 
concluded  with  the  Indians,  "who,"  (as  the  message 
states)  "enticed  into  armed  opposition  to  our  Government 
at  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion,  have  unconditionally 
submitted  to  our  authority,  and  manifested  an  earnest 
desire  for  a  renewal  of  friendly  relations. "  For  the  whole 
period  of  nearly  five  months  prior  to  the  date  of  the  mes- 
sage above  cited  the  Indian  war  was  going  on;  and  within 
three  days  of  the  date  of  the  message  there  occurred  in 
Wyoming,  mider  Red  Cloud,  one  of  the  most  appalling 
Indian  massacres  that  has  darkened  the  history  of  our 
country. 

In  his  message  of  the  following  year,  the  President  was 
sufficiently  advised  to  report  "barbarous  violence  which, 
instigated  by  real  or  imaginary  grievance,  the  Indians  have 
committed  upon  emigrants  and  frontier  settlements," 
but  he  makes  no  allusion  to  an  entire  detachment  of  our 
brave  soldiers,  every  one  of  whom  was  slaughtered  in  one 
day.  He  urges  that  "the  moral  and  intellectual  im- 
provement of  the  Indians  can  be  most  effectually  secured 
by  concentrating  them  upon  portions  of  the  country  set 
apart  for  their  exclusive  use,  and  located  at  points  remote 
from  our  highways  and  encroaching  white  settlements." 

Could  any  proposition  be  made  better  calculated  to 
fire  the  blood  of  a  savage  Chief,  whose  people  had  been 
driven  year  by  year  until  they  had  reached  the  last  fast- 
ness? How  large  would  be  the  "point"  recommended  in 
the  message,  upon  which  these  migratory  tribes  should  be 
settled.'*  Where  was  there  remaining  an  unoccupied  por- 
tion of  our  country  that  might  not  become  a  highway  as 
quickly  as  has  the  remote  territory  then  in  controversy^? 


188        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Experience  had  taught  the  Red  Men  that  none  of  their 
grounds,  wherever  they  might  be,  were  secure  to  them. 
Many  of  the  Sioux,  who  had  been  slowly  driven  back  upon 
other  tribes  wath  whom  they  had  often  been  at  war,  appear 
to  have  shared  a  joint  possession  of  the  Powder  River 
country,  where  game  was  abundant.  The  "moral  and 
intellectual  advancement"  recommended  in  the  President's 
message  probably  did  not  concern  them  so  much  as  did 
the  question  of  food  in  the  long  \\'inters. 

While  it  is  recognized  that  barbarism  must  give  way  to 
the  march  of  civiUzation,  it  is  humiliating  to  review  the 
heartless  disregard  of  the  principles  of  equity  and  square 
dealing,  of  which  some  of  the  representatives  of  our  nation 
have  been  guilty  in  our  relations  with  these  great  tribes. 
The  general  situation  as  it  existed  during  the  few  weeks 
following  this  treaty  is  tersely  described  in  the  report  of  a 
special  commission  chosen  by  the  United  States  Senate  to 
investigate  the  Fetterman  massacre  already  referred  to. 
The  commission  convened  at  Fort  McPherson  in  April, 
1867,  and  after  thirty  days'  investigation  made  its  report, 
which  concluded  with  the  following  summary: 

"We,  therefore,  report  that  all  the  Sioux  Indians  occu- 
pying the  country  about  Fort  Phil  Kearney  have  been  in 
a  state  of  war  against  the  whites  since  the  20th  day  of 
June,  1866,  and  that  they  have  waged  and  carried  on  this 
war  for  the  purpose  of  defending  their  ancient  possessions 
from  invasion  and  occupation  by  the  whites. 

"The  war  has  been  carried  on  by  the  Indians  with  most 
extraordinary'  vigor  and  unwonted  success. 

"During  the  time  from  July  26th,  the  day  on  which 
Lieutenant  Wand's  train  was  attacked,  to  the  21st  of 
December,  on  which  Lieutenant  Colonel  Fetterman  with 
his  command  of  eighty  officers  and  men  were  overpowered 


RED  CLOUD  ON  THE  WAR  PATH  189 

and  massacred,  they  (the  Indians)  killed  ninety-one  en- 
listed men  and  five  officers  of  our  army,  and  killed  fifty- 
eight  citizens,  and  wounded  twenty  more,  and  captured 
and  drove  away  three  hundred  and  six  oxen  and  cows, 
hree  hundred  and  four  mules,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
one  horses.  During  this  time  they  appeared  in  front  of 
Fort  Phil  Kearney  making  hostile  demonstrations  and 
committing  hostile  acts  fifty-one  different  times,  and 
attacked  nearly  every  train  and  person  that  attempted  to 
pass  over  the  Montana  road."  The  figures  in  the  fore- 
going report  do  not  include  the  great  loss  of  human  life 
and  of  five  stock  and  other  property  that  occurred  in  con- 
nection with  the  massacre  in  December. 

It  was  early  in  this  period  that  the  scoundrels  at  Fort 
Laramie,  who  should  have  known  better,  assured  us  and 
other  travelers  less  fortunate  than  we  were,  that  it  would 
be  quite  safe  for  emigrants  to  proceed.  It  may  be  asked 
what  motive  could  inspire  these  roseate  but  unreliable 
reports.  The  answer  is  simple  when  one  becomes  some- 
what famiUar  wath  the  type  of  many  of  the  men  who  on 
the  part  of  the  Government  conducted  these  highly  im- 
portant negotiations;  and  when  one  realizes  the  additional 
fact  that  the  opportunity  for  personal  profit  overshadowed 
everything,  while  the  dignity  of  the  Government  and  the 
principles  of  equity  were  disregarded. 

In  the  second  volume  of  liis  Forty  Years  a  Fur  Trader, 
Larpenteur  devotes  an  entire  chapter  to  a  sketch  of  the 
many  Indian  agents  with  whom  he  was  familiar  who 
served  the  Government  as  "the  fathers  of  the  Indians" 
during  those  many  years.  The  majority  of  those  whose 
names  he  gives  are  stated  by  him  to  be  "drunken  gamb- 
lers." "Some  were  interested  in  the  fur  trade"  and 
therefore  were  using  the  great  authority  of  the  United 


190        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

States  Government  to  further  their  personal  ends.  "Some 
were  ignorant  beaver  trappers,"  but  not  one  of  them, 
according  to  Larpenteur's  reports,  seems  to  have  possessed 
those  qualifications  which  would  make  for  "the  moral  and 
intellectual  advancement"  of  the  wards  of  the  nation  so 
prominently  urged  in  the  President's  message.  In  fact, 
the  Indian  agent  should  be  a  man  of  probity  instead  of  a 
man  whom  the  Indians  openly  declared  to  be  a  liar,  and 
certainly  he  should  not  influence  an  agreement  for  the 
profit  of  the  post  sutler,  who  has  the  exclusive  trading 
privilege  at  the  post. 

We  were  in  the  atmosphere  of  events  and  at  every 
available  opportunity  conferred  with  officers,  soldiers,  and 
non-combatants,  gleaning  all  possible  information  concern- 
ing passing  incidents,  and  followed  those  observations  with 
later  investigations,  so  that  we  could  not  but  believe  that 
we  became  fairly  well  informed  concerning  the  Indian  his- 
tory of  the  few  weeks  following  Red  Cloud's  withdrawal 
from  Laramie.  For  much  valuable  information  I  am  un- 
der obligations  to  General  Carrington,  who  was  then  in 
command  in  Wyoming,  and  who  has  given  me  data  not 
easily  obtained  from  any  other  original  and  trustworthy 
source.  A  record  of  the  many  thrilling  events  that  rapid- 
ly followed  each  other  would  fill  a  volume  and  is  for  the 
historian  to  compile.  Coutant  has  well  described  them, 
but  the  final  dramatic  conflict  that  crushed  the  Indian 
uprising  and  opened  the  path  for  emigration  demands 
a  passing  glance. 

As  we  were  leaving  Laramie,  Lieutenant  Daniels  was 
riding  a  short  distance  in  advance  of  a  small  body  of  sol- 
diers who  were  escorting  the  wife  of  Lieutenant  Wand  from 
Fort  Laramie  westward,  when  a  band  of  the  Sioux,  in  full 
view  of  the  soldier  escort,  made  a  raid  upon  the  Lieuten- 


RED  CLOUD  ON  THE  WAR  PATH  191 

ant,  capturing  and  horribly  torturing  him  until  he  died. 
Then,  putting  on  the  clothing  of  the  dead  man,  the  savages 
danced  and  yelled  while  out  of  range  on  the  prairie,  for  the 
evident  purpose  of  being  seen  by  the  members  of  the 
escorting  party :  and  thus  the  war  began. 

After  other  similar  attacks  there  followed  the  massacre 
of  Colonel  Fetterman  and  his  men,  in  which  not  a  white 
soldier  was  left  to  tell  the  tale;  it  is  known  as  the  "tragedy 
of  Fort  Phil  Kearney,"  the  full  official  report  of  which  is 
written  in  Absaraka. 

And  now  Red  Cloud  had  certainly  become  a  great  chief. 
He  had  gathered  in  additional  bands,  and  it  is  claimed  that 
one-half  of  the  3000  warriors  under  his  command  were  soon 
armed  with  rifles,  many  of  them  being  Spencer  carbines 
that  would  carry  seven  cartridges.  A  few  of  them  were 
the  new  Henry  rifles,  some  of  which  had  been  captured  in 
the  recent  massacre;  but  many  of  their  rifles  of  the  pattern 
used  by  our  soldiers  in  the  war  just  ended  and  up  to  that 
time  by  most  of  the  soldiers  of  the  frontier,  were  said  to 
have  been  obtained  from  sutlers  and  traders.  In  the  mean- 
time the  thrilling  tidings  of  the  Fetterman  massacre,  and  of 
other  serious  reverses  reached  Washington.  New,  im- 
proved, breech-loading  rifles,  and  ammunition,  were  for- 
warded and  received  none  too  soon. 

Captain  James  Powell,  with  a  company  of  infantry,  was 
finally  detailed  to  guard  the  contractors  in  the  transporta- 
tion of  wood  to  Fort  Phil  Kearney.  Powell  had  been  brev- 
etted  for  gallantry  in  the  Civil  War  and  had  been  engaged 
in  a  number  of  recent  encounters  with  Indians.  The  same 
day  on  which  an  attack  was  made  on  Fort  C.  F.  Smith,  an 
attempt  was  made  by  the  Indians  under  Red  Cloud  to  wipe 
out  the  detail  that  was  guarding  the  wood  train.  This 
detail  consisted  of  twelve  men   who  were  to  guard  the 


192        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

camp  where  the  timber  was  being  cut,  and  thirteen  men 
who  were  to  accompany  the  men  to  and  from  the  fort. 
The  wagons  on  which  the  timber  was  being  transported 
consisted  simply  of  the  running  gear  of  the  wagons,  the  big 
boxes  of  the  Government  pattern  having  been  removed; 
and  to  make  them  a  means  of  defense  they  had  been  ar- 
ranged as  a  corral,  with  entrances  at  both  ends  of  a  diam- 
eter of  the  circle.  In  front  of  each  opening  a  complete 
wagon  was  placed.  These  Government  wagon  boxes  were 
deep,  and  within  them  on  the  exposed  side  were  piled  their 
supplies,  consisting  of  sacks  of  grain  and  anything  else  that 
would  help  to  stop  a  bullet.  This  corral  was  the  base  of 
defense  when  they  were  away  from  the  Fort. 

The  camp  was  at  once  burned  by  the  Indians,  and  the 
wood  train  was  attacked.  The  savages  then  immediately 
turned  upon  the  little  band  now  concentrated  in  the  corral. 
The  report  shows  that  there  were  there  32  men,  including 
four  civilians,  to  defend  themselves  and  the  wagon  boxes; 
and  surrounding  them  were  3,000  warriors. 

While  the  Indians  had  taken  time  to  destroy  the  camp 
and  run  off  the  stock,  Powell  had  distributed  his  few  men 
among  the  wagons.  Openings  had  alreadj'  been  cut  in  the 
boxes  for  their  rifles,  and  fortunately  they  had  guns  in 
abundance.  Some  of  the  men  who  were  not  good  shots 
loaded  the  rifles  for  those  who  were  more  expert.  It  is  in- 
teresting at  this  point  to  see  brought  into  action  one  of  the 
type  of  men  such  as  we  occasionally  met  in  the  West.  He 
was  an  old  mountaineer  who  had  fortunately  joined  the 
defending  party.  He  had  been  in  many  Indian  fights, 
and  was  known  to  be  a  crack  shot  and  dead  sure  of  his 
mark.  Eight  rifles  were  placed  at  his  side,  and  a  less 
skilled  man  was  assigned  to  keep  them  loaded.  These  has- 
tily executed  arrangements  were  perfected  before  the  mul- 


RED  CLOUD  ON  THE  WAR  PATH  193 

titude  of  Indians  had  completed  their  work  of  destruction 
at  the  camp,  and  had  secured  the  stock.  The  wagon  box 
corral  was  apparently  a  simple  proposition  for  the  Indians, 
and  its  capture  was  evidently  to  be  made  the  event  of  the 
day,  to  conclude  with  the  usual  massacre.  This  contem- 
plated exploit  appeared  to  be  so  simple  that  they  brought 
with  them  their  women  and  children  to  witness  from 
a  favorable  view -point  the  extermination  of  the  Httle  band, 
and  to  assist  in  carrying  away  the  booty. 

Powell  had  given  his  final  instructions  to  the  men  in  the 
wagon  boxes  when  a  detachment  of  mounted  warriors, 
armed  with  rifles  and  carbines,  made  the  first  charge.  As 
prearranged,  not  a  shot  was  fired  from  the  corral  until  the 
savages  were  about  fifty  yards  distant.  At  that  point 
Powell  spoke  the  word  "  Fire  "  and  in  an  instant  there  came 
a  volley  from  the  enclosure  which  was  continued  TA-ith  re- 
peating rifles  without  cessation,  and  in  a  manner  which 
evidently  astonished  the  savages.  Although  the  Indians 
poured  into  the  wagons  a  shower  of  bullets,  their  rush  was 
checked.  With  savage  determination  they  circled  the  en- 
closure to  seek  some  unguarded  spot  for  attack,  but  finally 
withdrew.  It  was  then  found  that  one  lieutenant  and  a 
private  soldier  had  been  killed,  and  two  men  were  seriously 
wounded,  but  hundreds  of  dead  Indians  and  horses  sur- 
rounded the  corral.     The  Indian  tactics  were  then  changed. 

Red  Cloud  in  his  next  attack  sent  about  700  warriors 
armed  wdth  rifles,  backed  up  by  others  with  bows  and  ar- 
rows. This  great  skirmishing  party,  unmounted,  were 
stripped  of  every  article  of  clothing;  upon  their  hands  and 
knees  they  approached  the  corral  from  every  direction. 
This  detachment  was  supported  by  2,000  warriors.  The 
description  of  this  charge,  as  given  to  General  Carrington, 
indicates   that   it   was   made   with   intense   desperation. 


194        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Again,  as  before,  the  corral  was  silent  until  the  appointed 
moment,  when  a  sheet  of  flame  opened  from  the  little  band 
of  defenders  and  the  well-directed  fire  did  not  cease  until 
the  baflSed  savages  withdrew,  leaving  hundreds  of  dead 
upon  the  field.  Most  of  the  fighting  was  at  close  range. 
During  these  attacks  the  old  frontiersman  sat  apparently 
unconcerned,  discharging  one  after  another  the  loaded  re- 
peating rifles  which  were  always  ready,  and  with  unerring 
aim;  each  bullet  meant  one  more  dead  or  wounded  Indian. 
The  savages  did  not  realize  that  one  old  man  was  pumping 
lead  with  such  rapidity  and  unfailing  accuracy,  but  they 
did  discover  that  something  had  "broke  loose." 

I  have  heard  the  story  of  an  interesting  conversation  be- 
tween this  old  frontiersman  and  the  Department  com- 
mander. It  is  now  told  by  Cyrus  Townsend  Brady,  as  fol- 
lows: 

"'How  many  Indians  were  in  the  attack?'  asked  the 
General  of  the  old  man.  'Wall,  Gen 'rill,  I  can't  say  for 
sartin,  but  I  think  thar  war  nigh  3000  or  more.'  'How 
many  were  killed  and  wounded?'  'Wall,  Gen'rill,  I  can't 
say  for  sartin,  but  I  think  thar  war  nigh  onto  a  thousand  of 
'em  hit.'  'How  many  did  you  kill?'  'Wall,  Gen'rill, 
I  can't  say,  but  gi'e  me  a  dead  rest  and  I  kin  hit  a  dollar  at 
50  yards  every  time,  and  I  fired  with  a  dead  rest  at  more'n 
fifty  of  those  varmints  inside  of  50  yards. '  '  For  Heaven's 
sake,  how  many  times  did  you  fire?'  exclaimed  the  as- 
tonished General.  'Wall,  Gen'rill,  I  can't  say  exactly, 
but  I  kept  eight  guns  pretty  well  het  up  for  more'n  three 
hours.'  " 

The  official  report  gave  the  loss  in  killed  and  wounded 
by  the  Indians  as  1 137,  or  36  Indians  to  each  defender.  In 
July,  1908,  the  old  chief.  Red  Cloud,  at  the  age  of  ninety 
years,  met  with  General  Carrington,  and  a  few  other  sur- 


RED  CLOUD  ON  THE  WAR  PATH  195 

vivors  of  the  Wyoming  command  of  1866,  upon  those 
bloody  Wyoming  battlefields  to  review  the  scene  of  those 
conflicts. 

As  stated  in  the  St.  Louis  Globe  Democrat,  and  also  by 
General  Carrington,  who  again  met  Red  Cloud  on  the  bat- 
tlefield in  1909,  the  old  chief  then  admitted  a  loss  of  1500 
braves — and  that  was  the  result  of  the  wagon  box  fight, 
possibly  the  most  thrilling  and  disastrous  Indian  defeat  of 
which  we  have  any  record.  All  this  closely  followed  the 
Laramie  treaty  of  July,  1866,  to  which  reference  has  been 
made  so  repeatedly. 

Thus  the  war  ended.  The  pathway  was  opened  for  emi- 
gration to  what  was  then  more  attractive  territory  further 
west,  and  there  was  removed  one  obstacle  to  the  final  de- 
velopment of  Wyoming,  which  was  still  a  part  of  the  Great 
American  Desert.  These  events  are  mentioned  also  to 
show  the  general  condition  of  affairs  in  Wyoming  while  we 
and  hundreds  of  other  travelers  were  follo^nng  its  trails. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

The  Mormon  Trail 

IF  while  we  were  at  our  camp  near  Laramie  on  the 
bank  of  the  North  Platte  we  could  have  turned  the 
wheels  of  time  backward  just  nineteen  years,  we 
might  have  seen  the  first  pioneer  Mormon  train  in  a 
long,  straggling  line  slowly  trekking  across  the  trackless 
sands  down  the  western  slope  that  leads  to  the  shore  of  that 
turbulent  river,  for  this  was  the  point  where  that  band  fer- 
ried the  stream  in  a  flat  boat. 

According  to  the  description  of  the  expedition  given  in 
the  diary  of  William  Clayton,  who  was  one  of  the  party, 
and  in  our  personal  interviews  with  other  participants,  it 
was  a  promiscuous  line  of  vehicles,  seventy-two  in  all. 
Some  of  them  were  drawn  each  by  two  oxen,  others  by 
horses,  and  still  others  by  mules.  One  hundred  and  forty- 
three  men  and  boys  and  three  women  composed  the  party, 
the  greater  number  being  on  foot.  A  few  cows  were  driven 
in  the  rear.  For  seven  weeks  they  had  been  pushing  their 
way  across  the  trackless  plain,  marking  out  the  first  white 
man's  path  that  had  been  traced  north  of  the  Platte. 

Their  wagon  tracks  were  followed  year  after  year,  chiefly 
by  teams  of  Mormon  emigrants,  and  came  to  be  known  as 
the  Mormon  trail.  Some  of  these  trains  consisted  in  part 
of  hand  carts  drawn  by  men  and  women  struggling  to 

196 


THE  MORMON  TRAIL  197 

reach  the  desert  valley  in  the  mountains.  Nearly  every 
curve  in  the  course  of  this  trail  until  near  the  junction  of 
the  North  and  South  Platte  Rivers  was  followed  later  by 
the  Union  Pacific  Railway  as  originally  laid,  its  ties  along 
much  of  its  course  being  placed  in  the  tracks  of  the  first 
Mormon  wagons.  The  railroad  in  recent  years  has  been 
appreciably  straightened.  The  Mormon  trail  entered  the 
Oregon  trail  at  the  point  where  our  boys  were  camped. 
This  Mormon  pilgrimage,  as  described  in  Mormon  annals 
that  were  kindly  furnished  me  by  Mr.  Jensen  (at  one  time 
their  church  historian)  reads  like  the  exodus  of  the  Children 
of  Israel  through  the  deserts  of  Arabia;  and  Brigham 
Young  was  the  Moses.  On  reaching  the  river  at  the  point 
where  we  were  camped,  they  were  famishing  with  hunger. 
With  the  aid  of  a  boat  made  of  ox  hides,  they  ferried  some 
Oregon  emigrants  over  the  upper  Platte  in  exchange  for 
flour,  which  in  their  Thanksgiving  service  they  described 
as  manna  sent  from  heaven.  Fiery  serpents  were  stated 
to  have  been  encountered  at  various  times,  but  later  pil- 
grims have  encountered  nothing  worse  than  rattlesnakes. 
They  were  surprised  to  find  bitter  waters  along  this  un- 
known pathway,  and  their  stock  was  suffering  from  thirst, 
but  those  who  followed  them  found  Only  alkali  ponds, 
which  indeed  sometimes  proved  fatal  to  horses.  They  met 
hostile  Indians,  who  were  quite  as  much  to  be  feared  as 
were  the  giant  sons  of  Anak,  or  the  large-hmbed  Og  of 
Bashan. 

This  movement  of  the  Mormons  marks  an  important 
epoch  in  the  physical  development  of  the  vast  deserts  of 
the  West.  They  were  the  first  emigrants  to  plant  a  suc- 
cessful colony  between  the  Missouri  and  the  Pacific  Coast. 
If  there  ever  was  an  apparentlj'  hopeless  desert,  on  which 
agriculture  would  seem  to  be  utterly  impracticable,  it  was 


198        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

that  which  lies  around  and  west  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake. 
The  climate  was  arid,  and  the  dry  soil  was  loaded  with 
alkaline  salts,  supposedly  destructive  to  most  vegetable 
life.  Risking  the  hazards  of  famine  in  a  venture  hitherto 
untried,  they  solved  the  problem  of  arousing  the  latent 
energies  of  an  acrid,  sterile  soil  in  an  arid  climate,  and 
made  the  desert  bloom. 

True,  the  Babylonians  and  the  Egyptians  had  practiced 
irrigation  of  rich,  alluvial  soils,  but  except  as  may  be 
indicated  by  some  ancient  but  now  dry  ditches  toward  our 
Mexican  border,  these  Mormon  colonists  appear  to  be  the 
first  people  to  introduce  a  successful  system  of  irrigation 
in  this  country;  and  this  was  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  for 
the  Central  West. 

In  the  endeavor  to  describe  what  the  early  nation  build- 
ers really  did,  rather  than  to  attempt  to  show  what  they 
were,  we  note  the  fact  that  in  these  annals  of  this  first 
Mormon  expedition  are  recorded  from  time  to  time  the 
latitude  and  longitude,  also  the  elevation  above  sea  level  of 
various  points  of  their  journey,  the  approximate  accuracy 
of  which  is  confirmed  by  later  official  surveys.  In  review- 
ing another  diary  of  that  first  journey  I  find  mention  on 
each  Sabbath  (with  two  exceptions)  of  a  rest  on  the  jour- 
ney, with  regular  religious  services;  and  for  those  two  days 
the  record  is  indefinite. 

A  road-meter  was  constructed  in  the  early  part  of  the 
journey,  which  recorded  the  distances  traveled.  The 
greater  number  of  these  emigrants  were  Yankees  and 
would  be  sure  to  devise  everything  needed  that  was  within 
the  range  of  human  ingenuity  and  of  their  limited  resources. 
In  spite,  therefore,  of  their  poverty,  they  were  prepared  to 
adopt  the  most  advanced  methods  of  agriculture  known 
in  any  country  at  that  day. 


THE  MORMON  TRAIL  199 

It  was  an  agreeable  change  to  leave  the  level  lands  of 
the  Platte  region  and  enter  the  rough  and  broken  country 
that  characterizes  the  approach  to  the  mountains.  On 
our  left  rose  the  Laramie  range,  its  highest  peak  being  a 
prominent  object  of  interest  to  us  during  many  days. 
Although  we  were  gradually  ascending  toward  the  great 
Continental  divide,  there  were,  nevertheless,  many  steep 
descents  to  make,  as  our  road  traversed  the  great  folds  on 
the  earth's  surface.  One  morning,  after  toiling  for  miles 
up  a  long  ascent  we  unexpectedly  found  ourselves  on 
the  brink  of  an  exceedingly  steep  declivity  where  our 
trail  suddenly  dropped  down  nearly  a  thousand  feet,  by 
a  frightful  grade.  We  carefully  considered  the  problem 
before  us,  for  it  was  evident  that  even  with  the  brakes  set 
it  would  be  impossible  for  the  horses  to  hold  the  load  be- 
hind them  for  so  great  a  distance  without  finally  losing 
control ;  and  there  was  no  resting  place  at  any  point  down 
the  long  incline.  The  danger  of  a  toboggan  ride  behind 
rimaway  horses  was  to  be  avoided.  Our  lightest  wagon 
with  a  driver  was  prepared  to  start  on  the  first  trial.  The 
wheels  were  locked,  the  felloes  were  w^ound  with  chains, 
and  a  drag  rope  was  put  out  behind.  Thus  the  wagon 
slowly  ground  its  way  dowTiward  until  it  disappeared 
beyond  a  curve  far  below  in  the  valley.  One  wagon  was 
run  backward  down  a  steep  pitch,  long  ropes  being  used 
behind  it,  and  was  anchored  from  time  to  time  to  avail- 
able objects. 

Throughout  this  country  there  were  evidences  of  great 
upheavals  and  faults  in  the  rocks,  the  surface,  as  we 
crossed  it,  suddenly  changing  from  clay  to  sandstone  on 
edge  within  a  rod  of  travel.  Steep  hills  of  sand  alternated 
with  others  of  clay  or  rock.  For  a  distance  of  several 
miles  a  sheer  precipice  80  to  100  feet  in  height  rose  from  a 


^200       THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

valley  on  our  left  to  a  broad  table-land  which  extended  to 
the  southward.     At  the  foot  of  those  cliffs  I  saw  great 
numbers  of  buffalo  skeletons.     A  freighter  informed  us 
that  in  the  year  1850,  he  saw  a  band  of  Indians  stampede 
a  great  herd  of  buffalo  upon  those  uplands.     Forming  a 
line  in  the  rear  of  the  animals,  the  Indians  rushed  upon 
them  with  yells  and  rattles  and  inciting  a  panic  drove  the 
beasts  over  the  rocky  precipice  where  uncounted  numbers 
were  maimed  or  killed  by  their  own  great  weight,  and  the 
impact  of  others  which  fell  upon  them  from  the  heights 
above.     I  have  watched  the  stampeding  of  many  buffalo 
herds  and  have  observed  that  almost  invariably  they  run 
in  compact  masses,  like  a  flock  of  sheep.     Their  heads 
being  held  very  low,  those  not  in  front  are  unable  to  see 
anything  beyond  the  hairy  flanks  of  the  animals  immedi- 
ately before  them  between  which  their  noses  are  closely 
crowded.     Their    leaders    in    a    stampede    soon    become 
leaders  only  in  name,  for  they  are  pressed  forward  by  the 
powerful  monsters  behind  them,  which,  in  a  solid  mass 
push  everything  forward,  regardless  of  any  pitfalls  that 
may  be  in  the  way.     A  herd  thus  driven  in  a  mass  over 
such  a  cliff    as  we  have  described  must   have  been   like 
a  vast  Niagara  of  living,  roaring,  and  bellowing  monsters. 
At  the  foot  of  the  precipice,  when  the  work  was  done, 
there  would  lie  piled  high  one  above  another  in  a  deep 
windrow   the   quivering   bodies   of  hundreds   of   buffalo. 
This  explained  the  piles  of  buffalo  skeletons  at  the  foot  of 
the  cliffs.     This    method  of  capturing    the  buffalo  was 
employed,  because  the  Indians  were  able  to  sell  the  skins 
to  the  fur  traders;  and  from  the  best  information  available 
it  would  appear  that  no  more  than  four  pounds  of  cheap 
brown  sugar  or  its  equivalent  in  some  other  commodity 
was  regarded  as  a  fair  price  for  the  trader  to  pay  for  a 
good,  Indian-tanned  robe. 


THE  MORMON  TRAIL  201 

The  buffalo  skeletons  that  had  been  left  upon  many 
parts  of  these  vast  hunting  grounds  remained  until  rail- 
roads penetrated  the  wilderness,  when  they  were  gathered 
and  shipped  by  train  loads,  chiefly  to  St.  Louis,  to  be  used 
in  the  arts  or  to  be  converted  into  fertilizers. 

Statistics  are  given  in  another  chapter  which  show 
approximately  the  number  of  millions  of  skeletons  thus 
assembled  and  shipped.  It  is  a  sad  commentary  on 
American  improvidence  to  note  the  passing  in  one  genera- 
tion of  these  valuable  animals  which,  with  their  natural 
increase,  had  they  been  protected  with  reasonable  care, 
were  sufficiently  numerous  to  have  furnished  our  entire 
nation  with  meat  for  many  generations  to  come.  The 
white  man,  who  is  chiefly  responsible  for  this  wanton 
slaughter,  is  still  relentlessly  pursuing  the  few  remaining 
elk,  deer,  and  other  harmless  wild  game. 

On  the  day  after  leaving  Laramie,  one  of  my  weeks  of 
service  as  chef  and  general  purveyor  for  the  party  ter- 
minated. The  interesting  affairs  of  the  treaty  had  caused 
me  in  some  degree  to  slight  my  responsibilities.  The  day 
now  in  question  was  the  day  for  beans,  and  they  were 
really  served  quite  raw.  Although  our  teeth  were  sound, 
it  was  found  difficult  to  crack  the  hard  kernels.  There 
were  other  members  of  our  party  who,  during  their  ser- 
vice as  cooks,  had  been  the  objects  of  occasional  criticism, 
chiefly  because  of  the  hard,  tough  bread  they  had  furnished. 
It  was  now  alleged  by  Pete  that  appetites  had  been  in 
waiting  for  beans,  and  when  they  were  served,  some  words 
were  uttered  that  bordered  on  profanity;  in  general  terms 
the  cuisine  of  this  particular  occasion  was  characterized  as 
damnable.  The  bacon  was  said  to  be  "all  right,"  but 
the  bread  was  as  heavy  as  a  cake  of  putty,  and  if  the  stuff 
was  allowed  to  get  between  the  teeth,  a  sharp  instrument 


202        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

would  be  required  to  remove  it.  It  was  declared  that  the 
beans,  to  which  they  had  been  looking  forward  with  great 
expectation,  were  like  gravel,  and  if  introduced  into  the 
stomach  might  require  a  surgical  operation  to  remove 
them.  "That's  all  right,  Pete,"  I  replied,  "this  is  the 
wild  and  free  life  on  the  plains.  We  were  told  all  about 
this  business  before  we  started.  Even  the  Children  of 
Israel,  the  chosen  people,  lived  for  a  long  time  in  the 
wilderness  on  bread  that  had  never  been  cooked.  Of 
course  they  grumbled  just  as  everybody  grumbles  who 
want  the  same  old  stuff  they  had  when  they  were  babies 
in  Egypt. "  Pete  assured  me  with  great  earnestness  that 
he  was  not  an  Israelite,  that  in  his  opinion  my  talk  was  all 
ridiculous  nonsense;  and  dramatically  pointing  to  the  old 
black  kettle  that  rested  over  the  smouldering  fire  he  said 
with  a  marked  emphasis  on  each  word,  "Z  speak  now  of 
those  beans. " 

After  this  definite  particularization  of  the  point  at 
issue,  there  was  a  pause.  The  coffee  had  been  disposed 
of  and  two  or  three  of  the  boys  wandered  off  to  look  after 
their  horses.  Pete,  who  was  bent  upon  the  inauguration  of 
a  reform,  indicated  his  desire  to  make  a  few  post-prandial 
remarks,  whereupon  those  who  remained  gathered  round 
the  dying  embers  of  the  sage  brush  fire.  The  dirty,  half 
empty  tin  plates  still  remained  upon  the  ground,  and 
wliile  the  party  were  seated,  Pete  rose  to  his  feet  as  if  with 
the  determination  to  deliver  his  words  with  vigor  and 
effect.  Then  with  compressed  lips  and  a  look  of  earnest- 
ness upon  his  face,  he  pointed  again  to  the  old  kettle  in 
which  some  beans  still  simmered,  and  proceeded  wath  his 
diatribe. 

"Boys,  I  want  to  say  a  word  about  beans,  yes,  about 
those  beans  right  there  in  that  kettle.     Beans  are  getting 


vj 


;.^,'Ai 


^ 

■1 

^^ 

i^H 

u 

a 

CO 

X     ^ 

D 

eS 

'  ifi! 

n 

yj 

< 

C/D 

^tf'^^M 

THE  MORMON  TRAIL  203 

damn  scarce,  and  the  first  thing  we  know,  our  beans  will 
all  be  gone  and  we  ain't  had  any,  and  can't  get  any. 
Now,  I  like  beans  and  am  hungry,  but  I  don't  like  'em 
raw  and,"  with  a  vigorous  expletive,  "I  won't  stand  it." 

Now  Pete's  life  had  been  spent  largely  in  a  country  hotel. 
When  I  mildly  replied  that  our  cooking  in  general  compared 
very  favorably  with  that  of  some  articles  which  I  had  seen 
served  on  the  table  of  that  hotel,  Pete's  indignation  was 
still  more  aroused.  I  had  been  sitting  as  quietly  as  possi- 
ble upon  a  box,  but  it  suddenly  became  evident  that  my 
comfort  and  possibly  my  safety  depended  upon  a  change 
of  base,  for  Pete  was  a  powerful  fellow  and  several  years 
my  senior.  Moreover,  I  regarded  my  head  as  of  far 
greater  importance  than  my  reputation  as  a  sage  brush 
cook,  nor  did  I  relish  the  thought  of  being  buried  in  Wyom- 
ing simply  to  afford  momentary  gratification  to  a  traveling 
companion,  who  had  found  no  pleasure  in  half-cooked 
beans.  And  now  came  Dan  Trippe  in  the  role  of  media- 
tor. 

"Pete,  you're  densely  ignorant,"  said  Dan,  as  he  also 
rose  to  his  feet  and  faced  Pete.  "Don't  you  know  that 
water  boils  at  212  degrees  at  sea  level?  In  this  high  alti- 
tude it  hardly  gets  hot  when  it  boils.  Any  intelligent  man 
knows  that  it  can  be  made  no  hotter  in  the  open  air  than 
boiling  point.  It  requires  hot  water  to  boil  beans.  The 
head  cook  of  the  Astor  house  couldn't  boil  beans  satisfac- 
torily up  here.     I  couldn't  do  it  myself. " 

Pete  was  visibly  impressed  with  this  profound  philo- 
sophical statement,  and  with  the  wonders  of  the  West,  and 
after  Dan  had  fully  elaborated  his  theory,  seemed  to  be 
convinced  that  the  reasoning  was  possibly  correct.  After 
a  minute  of  cogitation  apparently  in  the  endeavor  to  com- 
prehend the  argument,  Pete  slowly  rephed,  "  It's  all  right. 


£04        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

boys,  but  no  more  high-altitude-cooked  beans  for  me." 
Taking  his  tin  plate  with  what  remained  upon  it,  without 
comment,  he  conveyed  it  to  one  of  his  horses,  and  the 
incident  was  closed.  The  boys,  each  of  whom  had  at 
times  failed  to  secure  satisfactory  results  in  cooking,  were 
really  amused  by  the  discussion,  for  they  realized  that 
even  experts  under  the  most  favorable  conditions  some- 
times fail  to  please  fastidious  appetites.  Conditions 
arising  in  one's  experience  in  a  rough  vagrant  life,  are  cal- 
culated to  bring  to  the  surface  previously  unknown 
qualities  in  human  nature.  Pete  would  at  any  time 
divide  his  last  good  biscuit  \^ith  another,  or  stand  ready  to 
defend  a  companion  to  the  end,  but  he  was  now  desperately 
hungry.     Happily  our  party  was,  in  general,  harmonious. 

Throughout  this  country  the  same  names  are  often 
applied  to  various  distinct  objects.  On  one  evening  we 
camped  at  one  of  the  so-called  Horse  Shoe  Creeks,  a 
bright  and  sparkling  stream.  In  that  vicinity  wild  game 
was  abundant.  A  few  soldiers,  who  occupied  a  cabin 
nearby,  had  on  that  day  dragged  to  their  camp  the  huge 
body  of  a  fine  grizzly  bear,  which  they  had  killed.  After 
its  skin  was  removed  I  assisted  in  dissecting  some  portions 
of  the  animal  and  in  that  operation  became  especially 
interested  in  the  wonderful  muscles  of  one  of  its  arms. 
These  were  an  indication  of  the  herculean  strength  which 
these  formidable  beasts  possess.  The  arm  itself  was  much 
larger  than  would  be  believed  from  a  judgment  formed  on 
seeing  the  animal  in  all  its  perfect  proportions.  Its  muscles 
were  not  only  remarkably  large,  but  they  were  so  tense 
and  firm  that  with  a  keen  knife  it  was  difficult  to  sever 
them. 

The  soldiers  stated  that  recently  a  grizzly  had  been 
brought  to  bay  some  distance  south  of  their  cabin,  and 


THE  MORMON  TRAIL  205 

after  receiving  several  bullets  from  large  calibre  rifles  it 
fell  upon  its  side  and  lay  motionless.  The  opinion  was 
that  at  least  one  bullet  had  reached  a  vital  spot.  Know- 
ing, however,  that  the  grizzly  bear  has  wonderful  vitaUty, 
unequalled  perhaps  by  any  other  wild  beast,  one  of  the 
party  as  a  precaution  hastened  to  their  cabin  and  unleashed 
three  powerful  dogs,  which  returned  with  the  soldier. 
The  dogs  were  soon  barking,  howling  and  dashing  round 
the  recumbent  monster  in  the  most  excited  manner,  keep- 
ing somewhat  at  a  distance,  but  not  a  movement  nor  sign 
of  life  was  discovered  in  the  wounded  animal.  Becoming 
bolder  and  perhaps  encouraged  by  the  men  and  by  each 
other,  the  dogs  approached  closer  toward  the  head  of  the 
grizzly,  while  they  continued  to  bark  and  snap  their  teeth, 
keeping  their  eyes  at  all  times  upon  the  enemy.  They 
were  almost  near  enough  to  take  the  coveted  nip  with 
their  teeth,  when  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  even  to  the 
men,  the  grizzly  made  two  or  three  quick  motions  with  one 
paw  which  to  all  appearances  were  as  soft  and  gentle  as 
would  be  made  by  a  kitten.  Each  of  the  dogs  was  thrown 
several  feet  and  killed  instantly  by  a  little  tap  with  that 
paw.  The  grizzly  had  not  lifted  his  head  from  the  ground, 
but  there  remained  in  him  enough  life,  with  his  tremendous 
strength  and  celerity  of  motion,  still  to  do  a  vast  amount 
of  damage  if  given  an  opportunity.  Bear  hunters  have 
learned  that  it  is  not  safe  to  trifle  with  a  grizzly  until  sure 
that  its  last  breath  of  life  is  gone. 

It  was  after  leaving  Horseshoe  that  I  ran  across  an 
acquaintance,  who  with  two  companions  had  been  hunting 
in  Colorado.  All  were  witnesses  and  vouched  for  the 
truth  of  the  story  then  told  me.  My  friend  had  the  reputa- 
tion of  having  brought  down  nearly  every  kind  of  game 
in  the  West,  but  had  long  grieved  because  he  bad  been 


206        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

unable  to  comer  a  grizzly.  Finally  one  autumn  day  while 
the  three  were  hunting  in  a  narrow,  wooded  gorge,  they 
observed  their  dogs  to  be  in  a  state  of  great  trepidation, 
which  led  them  to  discover  two  magnificent  specimens  of 
Ursus  Horribilis,  but  a  few  rods  away,  a  sight  which  they 
had  previously  supposed  would  cause  their  hearts  to  leap 
with  joy.  The  great  beasts  on  being  discovered  rose 
simultaneously  upon  their  hind  feet  and  stood  side  by  side 
facing  the  hunters.  Their  mouths,  as  if  inclined  to  smile, 
were  slightly  open,  displaying  sets  of  superb  white  teeth. 
The  expression  on  their  countenances  was  one  combining 
dignity  and  perfect  self-confidence.  The  hunters  declared 
to  me  that  although  eight  feet  might  be  a  fair  estimate, 
the  animals  appeared  to  them  to  be  forty  feet  in  height. 
And  there  they  were — two  magnificent  specimens  of  an 
animal  which  for  strength,  ferocity,  and  endurance  com- 
bined, probably  has  no  equal.  The  dogs  were  quite  in  the 
background  but  it  was  certain  that  something  was  likely 
to  happen  in  the  near  future  if  an  attack  should  be  made. 
The  hunter  frankly  confessed  that  he  said  to  his  compan- 
ions, "I've  been  hunting  for  a  grizzly  for  months.  I've 
found  two  and  only  wanted  one.  Let's  go  home."  The 
dogs  were  well  out  of  the  valley  before  the  hunters  lost 
sight  of  the  bears. 

On  leaving  Fort  Laramie  our  train  as  usual  became 
separated  from  the  others,  but  we  soon  found  ourselves 
in  company  with  some  emigrants  coming  from  the  middle 
states.  Among  them  were  several  comparatively  young, 
married  people,  also  three  or  four  young  women.  Some  of 
these  emigrants  were  destined  to  Montana,  to  cast  their 
fortunes  in  that  new  country,  which  none  of  them  had 
ever  seen.  They  appeared  to  be  a  vigorous,  intelligent, 
and  in  some  instances  cultured  company  of  men  and 


THE  MORMON  TRAIL  207 

women,  worthy  and  well-fitted  to  establish  a  new  settle- 
ment. They  were  taking  with  them  cows,  chickens,  and 
a  more  complete  supply  of  household  comforts  than  we 
saw  at  any  other  time  on  our  travels.  We  understood 
that  their  purpose  was  to  adopt  the  Mormon  method  of 
farming  by  irrigation.  One  of  the  young  women  was 
intending  to  establish  a  school  for  the  little  colony. 

One  evening  after  a  pleasant  interview  with  some  mem- 
bers of  the  company,  one  of  the  young  men  brought  us 
a  pail  of  milk  as  a  token  of  good  will.  A  bouquet  of  roses 
is  without  doubt  an  acceptable  gift  to  one  who  is  surfeited 
with  all  that  appeals  to  the  appetite,  but  after  having 
survived  two  months  upon  fried  bacon  and  tough  bread, 
one's  stomach  becomes  wonderfully  responsive  to  some 
of  the  staple,  commonplace  luxuries  to  which  it  was 
once  accustomed.  This  incident  led  us  to  "warm  up" 
very  closely  to  the  party  with  the  cows. 

On  the  following  day  our  two  parties  came  up  with  a 
large  mule  outfit  known  as  Kuykendall's  train.  Its  cap- 
tain, who  was  familiar  with  the  country,  informed  us  that 
if  we  desired  to  go  by  the  South  Pass  we  were  on  the  wrong 
trail,  that  the  one  which  we  were  now  taking  was  known 
as  the  "  cut  off  "  and  soon  trended  to  the  North.  We  must 
return  to  Horseshoe  Creek.  It  was  then  discovered  that 
the  emigrants  represented  two  parties,  one  of  which  also 
decided  to  go  by  the  South  Pass.  The  entire  train  was 
halted  for  re-organization,  after  which  those  who  were  to 
retrace  their  course  turned  their  teams  toward  the  east 
and  ranged  them  along  side  by  side  ^nth  the  main  body. 

Travelers  often  remember  with  great  pleasure  the  pass- 
ing acquaintance  of  those  who  have  been  agreeable  com- 
panions for  a  brief  time  in  foreign  travel  on  the  luxurious 
steamers  upon  the  ocean,  or  on  the  Nile;  and  possibly  even 


208        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

more  interesting  might  such  acquaintance  become  in  lands 
outside  the  beaten  paths  pursued  by  one's  own  country- 
men. This,  however,  can  hardly  compare  with  the  pro- 
found interest  and  concern  that  one  feels  toward  the  com- 
panions of  a  wandering  life  in  the  wilderness,  where  travel- 
ers are  held  together  for  mutual  support  and  protection. 
Thus  it  was  on  our  separation  from  this  party  of  emigrants 
and  the  train  of  freighters,  whose  trying  ordeal  was  soon  to 
come.  Some  of  the  members  promised  to  communicate 
with  us  at  Salt  Lake  City  and  inform  us  concerning  their 
trip.  With  expressions  of  mutual  good  will  and  hopes 
for  each  other's  safety,  we  parted  and  moved  on  in  opposite 
directions,  while  slowly  the  unpitying  distance  widened 
between  us. 

"  One  ship  drives  East,  another  drives  West, 
While  the  self -same  breezes  blow; 
'Tis  the  set  of  the  sails,  and  not  the  gales 
That  bids  them  where  to  go. " 

It  may  be  stated  here  that  the  emigrant  party  did  com- 
municate wdth  us.  It  was  not  many  weeks  after  our 
arrival  in  Salt  Lake,  that  two  of  the  young  men  came  to 
that  city  and  informed  us  that  after  we  turned  back  they 
had  moved  on  in  advance  of  the  big  mule  train  and  near 
the  close  of  the  day  after  we  separated  and  while  their 
wagons  were  coralled  in  camp,  they  were  surrounded  by 
savages.  Being  well  armed,  they  resisted  a  prolonged 
attack.  Every  animal  they  had  was  captured  and  run 
off  by  the  Indians.  The  party  was  relieved  by  a  detach- 
ment of  mounted  soldiers  who,  through  some  agency  to 
them  unknown,  had  learned  that  they  were  in  trouble. 
The  women  passed  through  the  ordeal  bravely,  fighting 
side  by  side  with  their  husbands  and  brothers,  well  know- 


THE  MORMON  TRAIL  209 

ing  what  capture  would  mean  to  them.  After  but  Uttle 
loss  of  life  they  were  enabled  to  move  their  wagons  by 
consolidation  with  the  other  outfit,  which  had  a  similar 
experience.  This  attack  took  place  on  the  15th  of  July 
after  assurances  from  the  post  sutler  and  others  at  Fort 
Laramie  that  the  Indians  were  satisfied  and  no  trouble 
need  be  expected.  Red  Cloud  and  his  band,  scattered 
through  that  country,  were  on  the  warpath. 

Our  party,  in  company  with  the  emigrants  who  had  de- 
cided to  retrace  their  steps  on  reaching  the  proper  trail, 
proceeded  onward  toward  the  west.  The  road  was  rough 
with  many  steep  inclines  ])ut  there  were  fine  streams  Hke 
LaBonte  and  LaParelle,  which  afforded  welcome  camp 
grounds.  Although  the  days  were  hot  and  clear,  the  nights 
were  cool,  and  the  two  parties  naturally  gra^^tated  toward 
each  other  around  the  camp  fires.  The  younger  travelers 
fortunately  found  others  of  a  similar  age.  Three  young 
ladies,  ranging  in  age  from  eighteen  to  twenty-two  years, 
were  a  rare  sight  in  that  country.  But  they  were  with  us, 
and  living  in  a  manner  that  indicated  they  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  many  of  the  good  things  of  a  well-ordered  home. 
The  most  luxurious  banquet  in  which  I  was  permitted  to 
share  in  those  days  was  spread  one  evening  before  our 
bacon  and  coffee  had  been  served.  Some  liberal  slices  of 
peach  pie  were  sent  to  us  from  our  neighbor's  camp — dried 
peach  pie,  of  course,  but  peach  pie  nevertheless.  Fast  for 
weeks  on  dried  paste  and  bacon  scraps;  travel  every  day 
from  morning  till  night  over  difficult  roads;  and  then  in 
the  cool  of  some  evening,  when  hungry  and  empty,  receive 
a  peach  pie  made  by  a  woman  who  knows  how  to  make  it, 
and  you  know  what  a  banquet  really  means.  As  it  was 
said  to  have  lieen  the  first  occasion  during  their  trip  on 
which  they  had  undertaken  to  prepare  this  kind  of  pastry, 


210        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

we  recognized  the  event  as  a  special  dispensation.  Fred 
was  absent  from  the  train  on  the  following  day  for  an  un- 
usual length  of  time,  and  sufficiently  long  almost  to  cause 
uneasiness  on  our  part,  but  when  I  saw  him  come  in  with  an 
antelope  over  his  saddle,  I  knew  the  girls  in  the  other 
camp  would  have  the  choicest  cut  of  antelope  steak  for 
breakfast. 

In  time,  after  climbing  over  hills  and  traversing  rough 
prairies,  we  reached  Fort  Caspar,  near  which  was  the  only 
bridge  across  the  North  Platte  River.  On  receiving  orders 
that  we  should  not  be  permitted  to  proceed  beyond  the 
west  valley  until  the  regulation  number  of  wagons  and 
men  had  been  assembled,  we  were  allowed  to  cross.  A 
toll  of  five  dollars  per  wagon  enabled  us  to  reach  the  other 
shore.  We  passed  on  three-fourths  of  a  mile  beyond  the 
bridge,  where  the  parties  separated  and  camped. 


CHAPTER   XVII 

Wild  Midnight  Revelry  in  the  Caspar  Hills 

THERE  are  spots  in  foreign  lands,  the  objects  of 
never-failing  interest  because  of  some  heroic 
deeds  with  which  they  are  associated,  the  mem- 
ory of  which  has  been  perpetuated  in  history. 
Our  camp  near  Caspar  happened  to  be  pitched  upon  a  spot 
glorified  by  the  blood  of  heroes  as  brave  and  patriotic  as 
the  Spartans  who  fell  at  Thermopylae.  The  desperate 
conflict  of  our  soldiers  upon  this  Wyoming  field  against 
overwhelming  numbers  was  hardly  less  dramatic  than  was 
that  of  the  Greeks  and  well  deserves  an  honored  place  in 
the  memory  of  Americans.  Hardly  two  rods  from  our 
camp  there  stood  a  little  monument  marking  the  spot 
where  a  few  months  prior  to  our  visit  Lieutenant  Caspar 
W.  Collins  and  his  little  band  were  slain  while  voluntarily 
making  a  valorous  and  almost  hopeless  effort  to  save  the 
lives  of  a  score  of  comrades,  in  the  face  of  thousands  of 
desperate  and  blood-thirsty  savages.  Although  we  had 
some  previous  knowledge  of  this  tragedy,  our  first  impulse 
was  to  recross  the  river  to  the  post  and  from  eye  witnesses 
leam  the  particulars  of  the  thrilling  battle.  As  soon  as 
our  supper  was  eaten,  four  of  our  party  started  down 
stream  toward  the  bridge.  The  post  formerly  known  as 
Platte  Bridge  had  now,  in  recognition  of  Collins'  valorous 

211 


212        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

deed,  been  named  Fort  Caspar,  by  order  of  Major  General 
Pope  commanding. 

The  range  near-by  was  also  named  the  Caspar  Moun- 
tains. The  post  lay  near  the  southern  bank  of  the  North 
Platte  River,  133  miles  above  Fort  Laramie  and  less  than 
a  mile  below  the  site  of  the  monument.  It  consisted  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  structures  built  on  the  sides  of  an  open 
quadrangle. 

Sauntering  along  the  river  bank  on  our  way  to  the  post, 
we  carefully  surveyed  the  scene  of  the  fight  and  its  environ- 
ment. Back  of  the  fort,  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
stream,  lay  a  high  table-land,  its  abrupt  and  barren  isuce, 
where  it  rose  from  the  valley,  being  creased  with  wrinkled 
folds  by  erosion.  Beyond  this  and  further  to  the  south 
the  Caspar  range  of  mountains  stood  out  in  jagged  outlines 
against  a  cloudless  Wyoming  sky.  Seen  through  the  pure 
and  wonderfully  transparent  air,  and  illuminated  by  the 
bright  light  of  the  setting  sun,  the  distant  deeply-wooded 
gorges  and  rocky  peaks  seemed  hardly  a  mile  away.  To- 
ward the  north  and  embracing  the  battle-field  the  valley 
extends  back  a  short  distance  to  a  steep  ascent,  beyond 
which  is  a  rough,  broken,  elevated  region  that  might  afford 
concealment  to  a  numerous  enemy.  Where  it  is  crossed 
by  the  bridge,  the  river  is  about  100  yards  in  width.  Cross- 
ing it,  we  soon  found  ourselves  among  officers  and  soldiers ; 
and  from  those  of  them  who  had  guarded  that  structure 
during  the  massacre  we  learned  the  story,  parts  of  it  from 
some  and  parts  from  others.  It  came  in  detached  and 
thrilling  fragments,  for  the  incidents  were  still  fresh  in 
their  memory,  and  the  thrills  they  had  experienced  on  the 
day  of  the  fight  were  renewed  in  their  vigorous  narration. 
We  were  informed  that  the  death  of  Lieutenant  Collins 
and  his  men  was  but  one,  though  doubtless  the  most 


WILD  MIDNIGHT  REVELRY  213 

dramatic,  in  a  series  of  Indian  massacres  that  ensanguined 
that  fatal  trail  during  the  few  preceding  months.  I  have 
heard  descriptions  of  several  of  these  events  from  eye- 
witnesses. 

Lieutenant  Collins  was  born  in  Hillsboro,  Ohio,  and  at 
the  time  of  the  fight  was  in  appearance  but  a  youth  and 
in  fact  only  twenty  years  of  age.  He  was  a  son  of  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Collins,  a  brave  Indian  fighter,  in  honor 
of  whom  Fort  Collins  in  Colorado  was  named.  Young 
Collins  had  been  in  the  Indian  country  for  three  years 
preceding  his  last  fight,  a  portion  of  the  time  with  James 
Bridger.  As  we  stood  looking  across  the  river  toward  the 
plain  where  the  battle  was  fought,  one  of  the  officers  said : 
"Last  July  Indians  in  great  numbers  seemed  to  be  gather- 
ing just  north  of  the  bridge  somewhere  in  those  hills  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river.  They  came  in  there  from  various 
directions.  Many  of  them  were  supposed  to  have  come 
over  from  the  Bitter  Creek  country,  where  nearly  every 
station  on  that  route  had  been  raided.  It  was  impossible 
to  form  any  definite  idea  of  their  number,  except  that  we 
were  certain  there  were  many  thousands  of  them  near  us. 
On  July  25th,  Lieutenant  Collins  came  in  from  the  East. 
On  the  same  day  several  hundred  savages  crossed  the 
river  and  stampeded  the  stock  on  the  reservation.  The 
garrison  at  the  post  was  exceedingly  small  and  although 
the  loss  of  even  a  few  men  would  be  a  serious  matter, 
a  small  party  of  cavalry  and  infantry  was  sent  out  to  re- 
cover the  stock  if  possible.  This  effort  simply  resulted  in 
the  loss  of  a  few  men  on  each  side.  The  Indians  finally 
recrossed  the  river  to  their  rendezvous  in  the  hills.  Just 
about  day -break  on  the  following  morning  a  few  men  from 
the  11th  Ohio  cavalry  came  in  from  Fort  Laramie  and  at 
once  reported  a  train  of  wagons  with  a  small  guard  from 


214        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

the  11th  Kansas  cavalry  as  coming  from  the  west  and,  as 
they  must  pass  along  the  trail  at  the  foot  of  the  hills  among 
which  the  Indians  were  holding  their  vigils,  they  were  sure 
to  be  attacked.  And  now  came  the  critical  moment.  The 
men  in  the  post  were  quickly  called  to  headquarters.  It 
was  at  once  decided  to  send  out  a  detachment  of  twenty- 
five  men,  in  the  feeble  hope  that  they  might  accomplish  a 
rescue.  In  casting  about  for  a  leader  for  this  hazardous 
venture,  one  after  another  declined  the  service.  Lieuten- 
ant Collins,  although  he  had  just  arrived,  offered  himself 
at  the  first  opportunity,  saying,  "I  will  undertake  the  task, 
if  I  can  have  a  good,  fresh  horse,  as  mine  is  badly  fagged 
from  my  ride."  The  Lieutenant  appeared  to  be  but  a 
boy,  but  he  had  a  known  record  for  bravery  and  endurance. 
Major  Howard  accepted  the  volunteer,  and  although  some 
of  the  older  soldiers  openly  discouraged  the  undertaking, 
the  young  leader  quickly  mounted  a  fresh,  spirited  horse 
and  in  the  early  morning,  at  the  head  of  his  little  body  of 
mounted  men,  rapidly  galloped  over  the  bridge,  followed 
more  slowly  by  thirty  infantry.  Caspar's  band  had  not 
proceeded  more  than  three-fourths  of  a  mile,  when  the 
hills  on  both  sides  of  it  were  suddenly  alive  with  savages, 
who  in  thousands  rushed  down  the  slopes  and  out  from 
every  ravine,  closing  in  upon  the  detachment  with  hideous 
howls  and  yells,  "as  if  all  the  devils  of  the  infernal  regions 
had  been  turned  loose.' '  At  this  point,  the  men  who  knew 
the  story  pointed  dramatically  now  in  one  direction  and 
now  in  another,  to  the  actual  places  where  these  movements 
occurred.  "A  desperate  but  hopeless  hand-to-hand  fight 
was  described  as  having  taken  place  right  over  the  river, 
in  plain  sight  from  the  post.  The  infantry  halted  because 
they  were  already  in  the  battle,  pouring  their  bullets  as 
rapidly  as  possible  into  the  savages.     The  only  big  gun  at 


WILD  MIDNIGHT  REVELRY  215 

the  fort  was  quickly  brought  into  action  by  the  guard  left 
at  the  post,  and  did  good  service,  as  its  shells  reached  the 
enemy  across  the  river.  Some  of  our  men  detailed  to 
guard  the  bridge  held  their  positions  and  brought  many 
Indians  low.  But  the  great  Chief  Red  Cloud  was  over 
there,  and  could  be  seen  rushing  across  the  field  as  if  to 
inspire  his  red  warriors  to  annihilate  our  men,  and,  as  far 
as  the  cavalry,  which  was  at  the  front,  was  concerned, 
they  practically  did  it." 

In  the  tumult  of  this  unequal  combat  young  Caspar  was 
seen  surrounded  by  savages.  His  spirited  steed,  seemingly 
conscious  of  defeat  and  panic-stricken  by  the  hideous  din 
of  Indian  yells  and  war-whoops,  became  unmanageable, 
both  horse  and  rider  fell  fighting,  precisely  where  the  grave- 
stone stands.  The  greater  number  of  his  men  were 
already  slaughtered.  The  bridge  held  by  the  infantry 
afforded  retreat  for  a  few  men.  And  thus  ran  the  story 
into  many  other  details. 

The  day  after  the  fight  a  detachment  of  cavalry  crossed 
the  bridge  and  recovered  the  body  of  the  brave  hero.  An 
effort  was  made  by  the  Indians  to  cut  off  these  riders,  but 
our  men  succeeded  in  reaching  the  guarded  bridge.  The 
next  day  the  beleagured  garrison  saw  the  little  train,  the 
arrival  of  which  was  anticipated,  coming  over  a  distant 
hill  from  the  west.  Suddenly  and  within  full  view  of  the 
fort.  Red  Cloud  and  about  five  hundred  warriors  made  a 
dash  upon  them.  Three  of  the  soldiers  escaped  by  s"v\nm- 
ming  the  river  but  the  remaining  men  fought  bravely  until 
the  last  man  fell.  A  messenger  had  pre\'iously  been  dis- 
patched from  the  fort  to  General  Connor  to  send  assistance 
at  once.  Several  companies  of  the  6th  Michigan  cavalry 
responded,  maldng  forced  marches.  The  Indians  had 
withdrawn   before   the   arrival   of   these   reinforcements. 


216       THE  AWAKENING  OP  THE  DESERT 

The  bitter  war  continued,  however,  until  the  winter  set  in, 
when,  through  the  vacillating  policy  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment, General  Connor  was  withdrawn  from  Wyoming. 

Before  we  separated  from  the  officers  at  the  post  they 
advised  us  that  it  would  be  imprudent  for  us  to  leave 
Caspar  except  with  a  strong  party.  The  regular  order  was 
still  in  force  providing  for  the  minimum  number  of  armed 
men  that  would  be  permitted  to  go  out  from  a  post.  Ac- 
cordingly we  settled  down  in  our  camp  and  remained  four 
days,  awaiting  the  arrival  of  reinforcements.  There  were 
very  few  travelers  on  that  road. 

During  our  sojourn  in  that  valley  the  experience  of  one 
particular  night  led  us  to  comprehend  at  least  one  of  the 
reasons  why  the  Indians  so  earnestly  desired  to  retain 
undisturbed  possession  of  this  territory.  Their  wealth 
was  the  wild  game,  but  the  only  means  by  which  we  could 
learn  the  extent  of  this  wealth  was  for  each  wild  beast 
living  along  that  range  to  come  out  from  its  lair  and  speak 
so  as  to  be  easily  heard  and  counted.  An  opportunity  for 
an  approximate  enumeration  was  offered  by  a  festive 
gathering  of  those  wild  inhabitants  of  the  hills.  It  oc- 
curred on  the  second  night  at  Caspar.  Paul  had  been 
standing  guard  until  midnight.  At  about  that  hour  he 
quietly  awakened  me  and  asked  me  to  come  outside  the 
tent.  Taking  my  rifle,  which  as  usual  was  lying  at  my 
side,  I  stepped  out  into  the  bright  moonlight.  "I  wished 
you  to  hear  this  wonderful  concert,"  said  Paul  in  explana- 
tion. My  ears  instantly  caught  the  multitude  of  wild, 
weird  sounds  that  came  from  far  and  near  and  from  every 
point  of  the  compass.  Although  those  voices  were  legion, 
yet,  since  the  greater  number  of  them  came  from  miles 
away,  they  were  so  softened  by  distance  that  they  did  not 
jar  upon  the  ear.     It  was  a  wonderfully  still,  calm  night; 


WILD  MIDNIGHT  REVELRY  217 

hardly  a  zephyr  stirred  the  air;  and  distance  both  to  the 
eye  and  ear  seemed  to  be  ehminated.  The  moon  shone 
from  the  cloudless  Wyoming  sky  with  extraordinary  bril- 
liancy and  apparent  nearness.  The  outlines  of  the  well- 
wooded  Caspar  range  were  sharply  defined  against  the 
blue  expanse  beyond.  Their  dark  shadows  by  contrast 
emphasized  the  undulations  of  the  intervening  valley  and 
the  glittering  waters  of  the  river  that  flowed  through  it, 
all  of  which  were  flooded  by  the  soft,  resplendent  moon- 
light. Was  it  that  big,  bright  moon  that  had  brought  out 
the  myriad  denizens  of  the  hills  to  howl  their  wild  refrains? 
Paul  and  I  stood  for  a  time  spellbound  as  this  vision, 
seemingly  unreal,  came  to  our  eyes.  To  our  ears  a  chorus 
of  unblended  sounds  came  down  from  the  mountain  from 
points  far  removed  one  from  another,  as  if  here  and  there  a 
concourse  of  wild  beasts  had  by  prearrangement  assembled 
in  various  places  to  engage  in  a  nocturnal  carousal.  Every 
creature  native  to  the  hills,  that  had  a  voice,  seemed  to 
take  some  part  in  the  orgies;  and  though  dissonant,  yet 
those  wild  voices  of  the  night  were  in  harmony  with  the 
rugged  setting  of  the  gorges  from  which  they  came,  and 
were  wonderfully  fascinating.  The  mountain  lions  entered 
into  the  convivialities  with  tremendous  earnestness.  Their 
vicious  screams  at  times  were  intense  and  fierce  as  if  the 
animals  were  in  deadly  strife,  but  when  their  fervent  notes 
softened  dowTi  to  a  low,  attenuated,  sympathetic  purring 
we  recognized  in  them  a  marked  similarity  to  the  midnight 
duets  of  their  congener,  the  domestic  cat.  It  was  not  the 
mountains  alone  that  furnished  the  stage  for  this  midnight 
serenade  to  the  moon.  From  other  quarters  came  other 
yelpings  and  roars  and  growls  impossible  to  classify.  The 
wolves  in  the  valley  near-by  howled  ceaseless  responses 
in  this  remarkable  antiphonal  chorus.     Coyotes  without 


218        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

number  joined  in  the  Saturnalia  of  nocturnal  revelry,  and 
barked  incessantly  from  every  direction;  while  the  blood- 
hounds at  the  distant  fort  bayed  deep-toned  warning  of 
their  guardianship.  Even  the  bull  frogs  from  the  pool 
near  the  river  bank,  serene  in  their  watery  home,  peace- 
fully croaked  in  plaintive  monotone.  These  numberless, 
inarticulate  voices,  so  varied  in  quality,  were  evidence  that 
along  that  range  there  was  a  remarkable  abundance  of 
wild  animal  life,  which  in  the  daytime  lurked  unseen  in 
unfrequented  places;  but  these  sounds  did  not  reveal  the 
presence  of  the  hosts  of  antelope,  elk,  deer,  and  other  timid 
animals  with  which  the  country  also  abounded. 

The  situation  was  so  interesting  and  fascinating  that  I 
finally  aroused  Ben  and  Fred,  and  together  we  wandered 
down  toward  the  river  and  up  its  bank,  listening  to  the 
concert  as  we  proceeded.  Observing  upon  a  little  bluff  a 
man's  form  with  a  rifle  upon  his  shoulder  silhouetted 
against  the  clear  sky  beyond  we  called  "hello  "  as  a  friendly 
announcement,  assuming  that  he  also  was  on  guard.  He 
responded  with  a  similar  salutation  and  invited  us  to  come 
up.  He  proved  to  be  the  father  of  the  young  ladies  with 
whom  we  had  returned  from  the  "cut  off,"  who  had  now 
camped  with  his  party  some  distance  beyond.  We  will 
refer  to  him  as  Mr.  Warne,  a  name  similar  to  his  true  name. 
We  asked  him  if  he  was  standing  guard.  "Yes,"  he 
replied,  "it  is  a  beautiful  night,  and  as  we  cannot  travel 
tomorrow  I  decided  to  give  one  of  our  men  a  rest.  The 
girls  are  down  below  on  the  rocks.  I  brought  them  out  to 
hear  the  music  from  the  hills.  They  are  sitting  there 
wrapped  in  blankets."  Sure  enough,  there  they  were, 
quite  out  of  sight.  As  we  approached,  one  of  the  young 
ladies  lifted  a  rifle  into  view  and  with  a  laugh  demanded 
the  pass  word.     Fred  responded  immediately,  "  Peach  pie,' ' 


WILD  MIDNIGHT  REVELRY  219 

for  he  was  addressing  the  young  lady  who  had  sent  the  pie 
with  her  compliments  when  we  were  on  the  Montana  road. 
The  pass  word  was  accepted  as  satisfactory.  The  girls 
remarked  that  they  were  not  out  ordinarily  at  that  unseem- 
ly hour,  but  they  had  been  invited  by  their  father  to  listen 
to  the  animals.  As  each  fresh  squall  came  from  the 
mountain  lions  over  the  river,  a  subdued  exclamation  of 
some  sort,  generally  bordering  on  both  admiration  and 
apprehension,  came  from  their  lips.  While  there,  our 
attention  was  attracted  by  two  or  three  long-legged 
wolves  that  skulked  near-by  within  easy  rifle  range — but  a 
shot  at  that  hour  would  bring  out  the  camp,  and  wolf 
meat  was  not  a  desirable  diet.  Not  wishing  to  protract 
our  midnight  call  we  said  "Good-morning"  and  sauntered 
back  toward  our  tents,  being  confident  with  regard  to  the 
concert,  that  we  had  listened  to  the  star  artists  from  over 
the  river. 

During  the  following  day  no  travelers  arrived  to  make 
up  the  regulation  number  and  enable  us  to  proceed.  On  the 
following  night,  there  being  some  change  in  the  weather, 
Ben,  Fred,  and  I  occupied  one  mattress  in  Ben's  tent,  and 
all  were  soon  asleep.  Some  time  in  the  night  I  became 
half  conscious  of  two  or  three  claps  of  thunder  and  the 
roaring  of  a  terrific  fall  of  rain  upon  the  roof  of  the  tent, 
which  came  in  as  a  mist  through  the  canvas.  Lying  near 
the  edge  of  the  mattress  upon  which  we  had  for  that 
night  crowded  ourselves,  I  accidentally  put  my  hand  out- 
side the  blanket  and  into  a  running  stream  of  water  which 
was  flowing  into  the  tent.  Conscious  that  trouble  was 
ahead  of  us  I  took  up  my  rifle,  which  had  been  lying  at  my 
side,  and  stepped  out  and  into  the  water,  to  find  that  the 
tent  was  being  rapidly  flooded.  I  spoke  to  the  Deacon 
through  the  darkness.     He  promptly  responded  and  in- 


220        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

formed  me  that  he  had  just  discovered  the  flood  and  was 
rolhng  his  mattress  into  a  bundle  upon  a  small  box. 
"Boys,  wake  up!"  we  shouted,  for  Ben  and  Fred  were  as 
yet  wholly  unconscious  of  the  impending  deluge.  "What 
do  you  want.^"  said  Ben  sleepily,  but  before  I  had  time  to 
explain  he  shouted,  "I'm  all  afloat,  get  out  of  here,  Fred, 
quick!"  Fred  responded  with  alacrity,  for  the  water  was 
rising  and  had  begun  to  come  through  the  mattress.  We 
soon  found  ourselves  camped  in  a  newly-formed  pond. 
Our  previous  experience  had  taught  us  that  tents  should 
not  be  pitched  in  a  depression,  but  the  ground  was  so  dry 
when  we  camped  and  the  sky  had  been  cloudless  for  so  long 
a  time,  that  we  were  careless.  The  lesson  now  was  better 
learned.  We  protected  our  rifles  and  other  valuable  articles 
as  thoroughly  as  possible  and  waded  out  from  the  pond, 
through  the  rain,  to  our  wagons  to  await  the  coming  of  the 
morning.  The  sun  rose  in  a  fairly  clear  skj%  although 
showers  seemed  to  be  lingering  up  in  the  mountains.  On 
the  foUowTing  day  Pete  negotiated  with  the  post  sutler  for 
some  supplies,  on  the  basis  of  15  cents  per  pound  for  corn 
and  40  cents  for  bacon,  which  were  regarded  as  reasonable 
prices.  The  day,  however,  was  devoted  chiefly  to  drying 
out  blankets  and  clothing  and  to  long  trips  in  search  of 
fuel,  which  in  the  valley  was  exceedingly  scarce.  A  call 
at  the  Warne  camp  resulted  in  the  information  that  the 
campers  there  had  suffered  but  little  from  the  severe  storm, 
as  their  tents  were  on  higher  ground,  although  they  re- 
ported the  pelting  of  the  rain  as  being  terrific  and  having 
a  sound  like  hail.  Toward  noon  of  the  fourth  day  Kreigh- 
ton's  freight  train  of  forty  wagons  with  mules  arrived  from 
the  east,  having  succeeded  after  great  hardships  in  crossing 
the  Platte.  After  noon  we  all  joined  the  caravan  and 
threaded  our  way  westward  along  very  rough  roads  up 


WILD  MIDNIGHT  REVELRY  221 

and  down  many  steep  hills  until  we  reached  the  vicinity 
of  Red  Buttes,  eleven  miles  beyond  Fort  Caspar,  where 
we  camped  for  the  night.  We  had  bid  goodbye  to  our 
interesting  Caspar  Camp  ground  and  to  the  Platte  River, 
which  for  500  miles  had  been  almost  constantly  near  us. 
For  this  stream  every  traveler  on  these  plains  must  be 
thankful,  stretching  as  it  does  through  arid  wastes.  With- 
out it  we  should  have  found  it  difficult  to  exist.  Since 
that  day  the  tributaries  of  the  turbulent  Platte  have  been 
diverted  to  irrigation  purposes,  leaving  it  at  times  little 
else  than  an  extinct  river. 

After  supper  Ben,  Fred  and  I  strolled  out  on  foot  for  a 
closer  inspection  of  the  Red  Buttes,  which  are  so  named 
because  of  their  deep  red  coloring.  They  are  similar  in 
character  to  those  in  the  Garden  of  the  Gods  in  Colorado, 
though  more  extensive.  The  summits  like  those  of  many 
of  the  bluffs  in  the  clay  lands,  are  level  and  apparently 
destitute  of  vegetation.  The  sides  are  nearly  perpendicu- 
lar, and  as  they  offered  no  temptation  for  a  climb,  we 
turned  our  footsteps  tow^ard  the  camp.  The  sun  had 
just  sunk  below  the  horizon,  and  a  big,  bright  moon  was 
already  on  duty,  to  give  promise  of  a  glorious  night.  Over- 
taking a  grizzled  old  man  who  had  evidently  been  travel- 
ing in  the  protection  of  the  big  train,  w^e  accosted  him,  as 
was  the  free  and  easy  custom  in  the  West.  He  answered 
us  cheerily  and  congratulated  us  on  having  finally  fallen 
in  with  the  train,  as  he  was  confident  that  no  other  outfit 
would  soon  be  moving  westward  over  that  road. 

"Are  you  a  freighter?"  we  asked. 

"No,"  he  replied,  "jmd  yet  I  may  say  that  I  have  done 
considerable  traveling  through  this  country  with  trains 
that  carried  freight.     I  have  a  ranch  west  of  here. " 

"Have  you  had  much  trouble  with  the  Indians?"  we 
naturally  asked. 


THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 


"They  have  been  keeping  us  pretty  busy  the  last  two 
years.  Did  you  hear  about  Hugh  Kuykendall's  train?" 
he  continued.  "Yes,"  was  the  reply,  "we  separated 
from  it  on  Friday,  the  13th  of  this  month.  Is  there  any- 
thing new  concerning  it.''" 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  "it  was  attacked  by  the  Sioux,  and 
at  last  reports  the  train  was  surrounded  by  about  seven 
hundred  Indians,  and  the  men  were  trying  to  hold  them 
off  and  will  put  up  a  stiff  fight.  A  header  who  was  on  the 
outside  rode  in  and  reported  the  situation  at  Horse  Shoe 
Creek,  and  a  few  troops  were  sent  forward  to  assist,  and 
that  is  the  latest.  Remember,  boys,  that  you  are  in  the 
Indian  country,  and  you  should  keep  pretty  close  to  your 
base." 

"Have  you  been  in  this  country  long.'' "  we  asked. 

"Yes,  several  years.  As  a  boy  I  was  with  Descoteaux, 
the  trapper,  who  in  1842  was  with  Colonel  John  C.  Fre- 
mont and  with  him  made  the  ascent  of  Fremont  Peak.  " 

Pursuing  this  line  of  conversation  as  we  were  approach- 
ing our  camp  we  asked  the  trapper's  name.  "I  am  known 
as  Tom  Soon,  but  the  two  words  together  sound  so  like 
Thompson  that  I  am  often  known  by  that  name."  On 
reaching  the  camp  we  presented  Tom  to  the  Warnes. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
A  Night  at  Red  Buttes 

IT  was  a  clear  and  beautiful  moonlit  night.  The 
towering  clifiFs  of  Red  Buttes  cast  their  shadows  to 
the  westward,  but  in  every  other  direction  not  a  tree 
nor  shrub  large  enough  to  shade  a  Jack  rabbit  was 
visible. 

]Mr.  Warne  had  received  the  old  trapper  very  cordially, 
and  in  a  few  moments  they  were  sitting  side  by  side  upon 
a  portable  wagon  seat  placed  upon  the  ground  and  w^ere 
engaged  in  conversation,  while  the  young  ladies  half  re- 
clined near  them  upon  some  bundles  and  blankets.  There 
being  an  innate  propensity  in  persons  with  active  social 
instincts  to  enliven  the  embers  of  a  languishing  fire  when 
friends  gather  round  it,  Ben  and  Fred  piled  wild  sage 
brush  upon  the  glowing  coals,  and  soon  the  cheerful  flames 
blazed  welcome  to  all  the  boys  (except  Paul,  who  was  on 
guard)  and  lighted  up  the  faces  of  the  campers  as  they 
drew  nigh  to  the  circle.  The  old  deacon  was  called  from 
his  tent,  for  though  dignified  and  circumspect,  as  all  good 
deacons  are  supposed  to  be,  he  was  not  averse  to  associa- 
tion with  younger,  and  more  convivial  companions.  A 
post  of  honor  was  assigned  him  upon  an  empty  soap  box, 
near  the  host. 

Big  Pete  was  there,  and  after  approaching  the  radiance 
sidewise  with  one  arm  before  his  face  to  shield  it  from  the 


224        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

fierce  glow  of  the  fire,  with  the  other  hand  he  pulled  from 
the  burning  heap  a  long  twig,  the  end  of  which  was  a  live 
coal;  and  drawing  back  to  a  safe  position  solemnly  lighted 
his  pipe;  then  slowly  doubling  himself  together  like  a  jack- 
knife,  he  sank  to  a  soft  and  safe  anchorage  upon  a  bag  of 
horse  feed.  Dan  and  his  boon  companion,  Noah,  floated 
in  later  and  gradually  adjusted  themselves  to  the  uneven 
surface  of  the  least  rugged  boulders  that  were  near  at 
hand.  Dan  had  traveled  rather  extensively  for  those 
days,  and  had  made  a  trip  to  Pike's  Peak  in  search  of  gold; 
in  fact  he  was  something  of  an  adventurer,  a  good  scholar, 
and  a  man  well  informed  on  general  topics.  His  father 
had  been  a  physician  and  was  an  early  Wisconsin  pioneer. 

"What  do  you  think  of  the  situation  out  here,  Mr. 
Soon?"  said  Dan  to  the  old  trapper. 

"I  believe  that  there  is  trouble  ahead,"  was  the  reply. 
"The  Government  agents  have  not  been  square  mth  the 
Indians  and  the  Indians  know  it.  The  Indians  will  do  as 
they  agree  until  the  whites  go  back  on  their  promises,  or 
do  mean  things  to  them;  and  they  have  done  it.  Why, 
there  is  that  Captain  of  Russell  and  Major's  train  who 
brags  that  he  has  killed  more  than  a  hundred  Indians, 
and  that  he  will  shoot  an  Indian  at  sight  every  good  chance 
he  gets,  and  now  comes  this  treaty  at  Laramie  that  every 
one  knows  is  a  fraud.  These  Indians  up  here  are  dead 
sure  to  fight  for  their  hunting  grounds." 

"  I  think  Mr.  Soon  is  right, "  said  Dan.  "  We  have  been 
talking  nearly  every  day  about  these  Indian  troubles,  and 
people  forget  that  an  Indian  has  a  sense  of  honor  and  will 
stand  by  an  agreement  as  faithfully  as  the  average  white 
man  will.  There  are  some  qualities  in  Indian  character 
not  generally  understood,  which  are  as  interesting  as  their 
savagery  and  show  how  they  regard  a  contract. " 


A  NIGHT  AT  RED  BUTTES  225 

Dan  then  pointed  to  a  young  fellow  who  was  stretched 
out  upon  the  ground  near  the  fire  and  said,  "Now  the 
parents  of  that  chap  there  and  my  parents  were  close 
neighbors  in  Wisconsin  'way  back  in  the  thirties.  Being 
older  than  he  is,  I  remember  an  incident  which  all  the  few 
who  were  there  were  familiar  with.  These  pioneers  all 
lived  in  log  cabins.  This  young  fellow's  father,  on  one 
occasion,  was  endeavoring  to  conduct  some  negotiations 
with  a  band  of  Winnebago  Indians,  who  were  assembled  in 
front  of  his  cabin.  The  settlers  had  learned  a  few  words 
used  by  that  tribe,  but  not  enough  to  enable  them  to  con- 
verse intelligently,  and  so  the  bargain  was  not  concluded. 
In  a  thoughtless  moment,  and  with  a  view  to  amuse  his 
young  wife,  who  stood  near  the  open  door,  he  addressed 
the  Chief,  and  directing  his  attention  to  his  own  spouse, 
asked  if  he  would  swap  squaws.  The  proposition  was 
received  with  an  approving  nod  and  a  significant  grunt, 
which  was  regarded  by  the  father  as  proof  that  the  Winne- 
bago chief  comprehended  the  humorous  point  of  the  pro- 
position, and  understood  that  the  white  man's  talk  often 
means  the  opposite  from  what  his  words  imply.  The 
Indians  departed  and  all  went  well  until  the  following  day, 
when  the  young  wife,  casting  a  glance  from  the  door,  ob- 
served the  chief  approaching  with  his  band.  At  his  side 
was  his  squaw.  It  required  but  a  moment  for  the  mother 
to  comprehend  the  situation.  The  father  was  not  at 
home,  but  she  instantly  slammed  the  door,  pulled  in  the 
latch  string  (used  then  in  all  our  doors)  and  seizing  that 
young  fellow,  then  only  two  or  three  months  old,  slid  out 
of  a  back  window  and  struck  across  the  country  for  the 
cabin  of  a  neighbor,  ^^^len  the  father  came  home,  the 
house  was  vacant  and  no  wife  was  in  hearing  to  answer 
to  his  many  shouts.    After  a  while  he  rounded  up  his  wife 


226        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

at  the  neighbor's  house  where  she  was  hiding.  The  father, 
on  learning  what  had  occurred,  said  he  didn't  propose  to 
joke  any  more  with  the  Indians. " 

"I  know  all  about  that  affair,"  continued  Dan,  "and  it 
shows  that  when  an  Indian  makes  a  trade,  whether  it  is  of 
wives  or  the  occupation  of  lands,  he  expects  to  carry  it  out, 
and  if  the  other  fellows  don't  do  it,  of  course  it's  the  begin- 
ning of  trouble  and  the  end  of  confidence.  They  know 
nothing  about  dickering  and  double-meaning  phrases. " 

We  soon  gave  the  old  trapper  an  opportunity  to  relate 
some  incidents  in  his  life  in  the  West,  which  had  been  full 
of  interesting  experiences.  He  told  of  the  important  part 
the  fur  traders  and  trappers  had  played  in  Wyoming  and 
the  far  West;  of  their  exposures  and  perils,  and  how  they 
had  been  the  earliest  explorers,  gi\ang  names  to  the  streams 
and  many  of  the  moimtains.  "But,"  he  added,  "this 
frontier  life  has  not  all  consisted  of  Indian  fighting  and 
hunting,"  and  with  this  statement  he  knocked  the  ashes 
from  his  pipe  upon  the  heel  of  his  boot,  and  from  a  huge 
pouch  of  tobacco,  slowly  refilled  it  as  if  to  give  time  for 
his  suggestions  to  find  a  response.  It  was  e\ddent  that 
something  was  coming  into  his  mind  that  he  was  about 
ready  to  impart.  INIiss  Margaret  immediately  said  that 
she  was  glad  to  hear  of  something  in  western  life  besides 
fighting,  and  that  with  such  glorious  nights  as  she  had 
seen  in  Wyoming,  she  believed  that  now  and  then  some- 
thing should  occur  that  is  not  mixed  up  ^-ith  bloodshed. 

"Well,  Miss,"  said  Tom.  after  taking  a  long  pull  from 
his  pipe,  "your  friend  has  told  you  about  Indian  agree- 
ments, and  the  trading  of  Tv-ives.  I'll  tell  you  one  story 
that  I  know  all  about.  Among  the  old  trappers  and 
traders  of  early  days,  there  were  many  yoimg  Frenchmen. 
I  think  they  made  more  money  out  of  the  business  than 


A  NIGHT  AT  RED  BUTTES  227 

all  the  rest  of  the  traders  put  together.  There  was  one 
fine  young  fellow,  whose  name  was  Jules  La  Chance.  He 
was  working  for  the  old  American  Fur  Company  for  quite 
a  while  up  north  of  here  in  the  country  of  the  Crow  Indians. 
Now  the  Crows  had  'most  always  been  on  pretty  good 
terms  with  us  fellows,  and  in  fact  with  all  the  whites,  but 
they  were  always  in  trouble  with  the  Sioux.  The  Crow 
women  were  more  attractive  than  the  women  of  most  of 
the  other  tribes.  They  knew  how  to  tan  skins  very 
fimely,  so  that  they  would  be  very  soft  and  white,  and  the 
Crow  girls  were  able  to  dress  themselves  very  attractively. 
The  hair  of  all  the  Crow  Indians  was  long,  and  the  women 
parted  it  carefully.  Many  of  the  trappers  and  traders 
had  been  married  to  Indian  girls,  and  Jules  finally  ran 
across  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  Crow  chiefs  whose  name 
was  Oo-je-an-a-he-ah,  who  he  believed  would  suit  him 
pretty  well  as  a  wife.  He  could  speak  Crow  a  little,  as 
well  as  Sioux,  so  he  told  her  that  he  liked  her  pretty  well, 
whereupon  she  said  that  she  liked  him  prettj'  well,  and 
that  was  about  all  that  happened  that  day — but  it  meant 
very  much  to  an  Indian  girl. 

"The  next  day  Jules  started  off  eastward  on  some  work 
that  he  had  to  do  in  the  Sioux  territory,  where  some  of  the 
trappers  and  traders  of  his  Company  were  engaged.  The 
Indians  there,  however,  at  that  time  were  making  con- 
siderable trouble  for  the  four  or  five  white  men.  One  of 
the  traders  concluding  that  a  little  whiskey,  of  which  the 
Indians  are  fond,  would  help  to  soften  the  feeling  between 
them,  gave  a  few  warriors  who  had  come  into  their  camp 
as  much  of  the  stuff  as  they  wanted  for  present  use.  In  a 
short  time  they  had  become  pretty  full  and  very  noisy, 
but  finally  quieted  do^n.  It  was  well  into  the  night  when 
Jules,  who  sat  near  the  door  of  the  lodge,  felt  a  touch  upon 


228        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

his  shoulder.  Quickly  turning  his  head  he  observed  a 
Sioux  girl  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  of  age,  whom  he  had 
previously  seen  in  the  near-by  Indian  village,  and  who 
had  heard  him  speak  in  her  native  tongue.  She  now 
beckoned  him  to  come  to  her,  and  informed  him  that  the 
Sioux  had  already  planned  to  take  their  property  and 
possibly  their  lives;  that  she  had  come  directly  from  near 
a  lodge  in  the  village  where  she  had  overheard  some 
warriors  discussing  the  plans,  which  also  involved  a  raid 
into  the  country  of  the  Crows  where  the  trappers  had 
their  headquarters.  She  said  the  ponies  belonging  to  Jules 
and  his  party  had  already  been  taken,  and  asked  Jules  to 
follow  her.  All  this  was  condensed  in  a  few  whispered 
words.  Jules  re-entered  their  camp  where  the  Indians 
were  quietly  resting.  One  or  two  of  them,  who  were 
apparently  somewhat  conscious  of  what  was  happening, 
were  again  permitted  free  access  to  the  whiskey.  Jules, 
quietly  and  unobservedly,  slipped  some  guns  to  the  out- 
side from  under  the  tent,  and  soon  was  able  to  signal  his 
companions  to  meet  him  outside.  He  handed  them  their 
guns,  and  then  whispered  to  them  to  follow  him  and  not 
speak. 

"He  found  the  girl  standing  erect  in  the  darkness  exactly 
where  he  had  left  her.  Taking  Jules  by  the  hand,  she  led 
him  with  swift  footsteps  toward  the  river  which,  running 
northward,  empties  itself  into  the  great  Missouri.  The 
entire  party  followed  silently.  Not  a  word  was  spoken 
until  the  river  bank  was  reached.  Then,  to  the  surprise  of 
all,  the  girl  addressed  them  in  very  fair  English,  and  told 
them  that  her  father  when  living  was  a  fur  trader  with  M. 
G.  Sublette  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company  and  her 
mother  was  a  daughter  of  a  Chief  of  the  Minnecongoux 
band  of  Sioux.     She  said  that  her  father  had  always  been 


A  NIGHT  AT  RED  BUTTES  229 

friendly  with  the  Sioux,  but  was  killed  in  a  raid  of  that 
tribe  by  an  accidental  shot. 

"'You  have  no  horses  now,'  she  said,  'as  they  have 
already  been  taken  by  my  people,  but  here  is  a  boat  that 
will  carry  you  down  the  stream  nearer  to  your  home  camp, 
and  I  wish  you  to  escape  quickly,  and  I  hope  when  the 
trouble  is  over  to  see  you  again. ' 

"One  of  the  traders  ventured  to  strike  a  light  that  they 
might  get  a  better  glimpse  of  their  benefactress,  and  more 
than  one  of  them  recognized  the  dress  and  features  of  the 
Indian  girl  as  one  who  had  attracted  their  attention  on 
the  preceding  day  in  the  village.  The  Indian  tastes  of  the 
girl  had  found  expression  in  an  abundance  of  beads  and  a 
fine  deerskin  dress,  but  the  long  black  hair  hung  in  two 
braids  at  her  back.  Her  complexion  was  rather  fair,  and 
the  mouth  was  more  delicately  formed  than  is  usual  with 
the  full-blooded  Indians.  Her  name  in  the  tribe,  she  said 
was  Oo-jan-ge  (Light). 

"There  was  no  time  to  be  lost.  Jules  had  upon  his  little 
finger  a  plain  gold  ring,  which  he  removed  and  slipped 
upon  a  finger  of  the  Indian  girl,  saying  to  her,  'Keep  that 
to  remember  me,  but  take  care  of  yourself  and  don't  get 
into  trouble  for  what  you  have  done. '  The  girl  at  once 
started  on  a  swift  pace  toward  the  village,  and  was  soon 
lost  from  sight  in  the  darkness. 

"The  situation  was  simple.  Their  horses  had  been  cap- 
tured since  the  sun  had  set  and  the  girl  had  surely  shown 
Jules'  party  the  way  of  escape,  for  here  was  a  boat  quite 
like  a  large  tub  made  of  skins  and  lying  on  the  shore.  It 
was  sufficiently  large  to  float  them.  There  were  also  rude 
paddles,  which  were  all  that  was  necessary  to  steer  the 
craft  down  the  stream.  The  men  were  soon  afloat,  and 
when  the  morning  dawned  they  were  more  than  thirty 


230        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

miles  farther  down  stream.  They  pulled  upon  the  western 
bank  at  a  point  which  had  been  previously  visited  by  two 
of  the  party.  There  they  succeeded  in  killing  an  antelope, 
parts  of  which  they  managed  to  cook  without  any  regular 
cooking  utensils. 

"The  first  thought  calling  for  action,  that  had  arisen  in 
the  mind  of  Jules,  was  to  proceed  at  once  to  the  head  Chief 
of  the  Crows  and  convey  to  him  information  concerning  the 
impending  raid  of  the  Sioux.  By  the  morning  of  the  fol- 
lowing day  the  trappers  were  at  the  Crow  village.  To 
whom  could  Jules  more  properly  convey  the  tidings  than 
to  Oo-je-an-a-he-ah,  to  whom  he  frankly  told  the  story  of 
his  recent  adventure?  In  less  than  an  hour  several  hundred 
Crow  Indians  in  detached  bodies  were  skulking  to  the 
eastward  and  surely  enough  on  the  following  morning  met 
the  advancing  Sioux  who,  being  completely  surprised,  met 
with  disastrous  defeat,  the  survivors  falling  back  across 
the  river  after  hea\y  loss. 

"The  Crows  returned  to  camp  with  numerous  scalps, 
but  none  of  the  warriors  except  the  Chief  knew  from  what 
source  came  the  information  that  led  to  the  victory. 
Jules,  however,  was  at  once  a  hero  in  the  lodge  of  the 
Chief.  A  dog  dinner  was  served  for  him,  which  was  re- 
garded as  the  noblest  banquet  that  could  be  set  before  an 
honored  guest.  Oo-je-an-a-he-ah  was  gratified  that  one 
upon  whom  she  looked  as  her  fiance  should  be  in  such  high 
favor  with  her  distinguished  father. 

"Jules  went  to  his  camp  some  miles  distant,  toward  the 
border  lands,  and  reflected  on  what  had  occurred.  He 
well  knew  that  his  life  and  that  of  his  companions,  and 
possibly  all  their  property,  had  been  saved  through  the 
self-sacrifice  of  a  young  Indian  girl,  the  granddaughter  of 
a  Chief.     The   morning  came  and  it  happened  that  one 


A  NIGHT  AT  RED  BUTTES  231 

Paul  Des  Jardines,  who,  wath  a  small  escort  was  crossing 
from  the  Missouri  River  westward,  observed  a  solitary 
Indian  girl  standing  near  their  pathway.  She  was  slender 
and  had  delicate  features,  with  complexion  not  so  dark  as 
is  common  with  most  of  the  tribes,  and  decidedly  like 
that  of  the  Mandan  tribe.  Attracted  by  the  strange 
appearance,  Paul  addressed  the  girl  in  broken  French  with 
the  question  'Are  you  a  Sioux .^'  To  the  surprise  of  his 
party  she  rephed,  also  in  broken  French,  in  the  affirmative. 
With  careful  diplomacy  she  sought  to  ascertain  if  those 
rough  voyagers  were  really  friendly  and  trustworthy. 
Becoming  satisfied  that  it  would  be  safe  to  tell  her  story, 
she  related  how,  through  her  effort  to  save  some  white 
traders,  who  were  camped  near  the  ^^llage,  her  father's 
band  had  met  with  a  serious  reverse,  and  she  was  sus- 
pected by  her  people  of  disloyalty,  which  was  the  cause  of 
a  disaster  to  the  Sioux.  She  now  felt  compelled  to  flee 
for  her  own  safety. 

"  'Do  you  know  who  the  men  were  that  you  were  trying 
to  save?' 

"'No,'  she  rephed,  'except  that  one  of  them  was 
named  Jules.'  And  in  an  innocent  manner  she  added, 
'He  gave  me  this  ring.  If  I  could  find  him  I  know  he 
would  protect  me  until  I  could  make  peace  with  my  tribe, 
for  he  knows  that  my  father  was  a  French  trader. 

"'I,  too,  am  French,'  said  Paul,  'and  we  mil  take  you 
to  where  Jules  is  in  the  Crow  country.  I  know  him,  as 
we  came  up  the  Missouri  from  St.  Louis  the  same  time. ' 
So  Oo-jan-ge,  who  was  hungry  and  wearj',  received  food 
and  a  pony  to  ride,  and  started  with  Paul's  party  to  the 
land  of  the  Crows,  the  enemy  of  her  own  people. 

"In  the  meantime  Oo-je-an-a-he-ah  and  Jules  had  talked 
together  of  their  future,  and  the  Chief  had  given  his  royal 


232        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

sanction  to  their  alliance.  On  the  second  evening  after 
Jules'  arrival  at  his  camp,  a  broad-shouldered,  hea^■ily- 
moustached  man  entered  the  camp,  and  called  for  Jules 
La  Chance.  'He  is  up  at  the  Crow  village,'  was  the 
reply. 

"  'Will  you  send  for  him  to  come  here  at  once,  and  say 
to  him  that  Paul  Des  Jardines  desires  to  see  him  on  an 
important  matter  of  business.'*' 

'"Well,  I'll  go  for  him  myself,'  said  the  man,  'but  Jules 
is  on  rather  an  important  mission  himself.  We  think  that 
he  is  arranging  to  take  the  daughter  of  the  Chief  of  the 
Crows,  and  Father  DeSmet,  the  Jesuit  missionary,  is  in 
the  village,  and  Jules  having  been  brought  up  a  Catholic, 
you  know  what  that  means. ' 

"  'Then  rush — it  is  the  more  important  that  you  bring 
him  here  at  once. ' 

"In  an  hour  Paul  and  Jules  were  sitting  on  a  rock  near 
their  camp,  anjd  Paul  told  of  the  very  young  Indian  girl, 
the  finest  looking  one  he  had  ever  seen,  who  had  been  com- 
pelled to  fly  to  the  hills  because  of  her  having  saved  Jules 
and  his  party,  an  act  which  also  caused  a  defeat  of  the 
Sioux,  because  of  information  which  he  (Jules)  must  have 
given  to  the  Crows. 

"'Well,'  said  Jules,  'that  girl,  Oo-jan-ge,  is  the  finest 
I  ever  saw,  but  the  fact  is,  I  am  in  a  devil  of  a  fix.  This 
girl  here  whom  I  wish  to  marry  is  a  jewel,  the  finest  in  the 
tribe,  and  I  almost  fixed  the  matter  up  to  marry  her  before 
I  saw  Oo-jan-ge.  Father  DeSmet  is  in  the  village  and 
Oo-je-an-a-he-ah  has  a  notion  that  she  would  like  to  give 
him  something  to  do  that  is  not  common  in  the  tribe,  a 
Catholic  wedding.  My  mother  was  a  Cathohc,  but  I  am 
little  or  nothing  in  those  matters. ' 

"  'Well, '  said  Paul,  'Oo-jan-ge  is  now  right  over  here  at 


A  NIGHT  AT  RED  BUTTES  233 

my  camp.  As  we  were  traveling  through  the  Sioux  countrj^ 
she  put  herself  under  our  protection  until  she  could  see 
you.  She  feels  that  she  is  regarded  as  a  traitor  by  her 
tribe,  and  is  a  voluntary  exile  and  I  am  going  to  see  that 
justice  is  done  for  her.'" 

Tom  Soon  had  proceeded  thus  far  in  his  story,  when  he 
paused  to  relight  his  pipe,  but  before  scratching  the  match 
he  looked  directly  toward  the  Warne  girls  and  said,  with 
an  air  of  great  seriousness,  "Now  young  ladies,  under- 
standing that  both  of  these  Indian  girls  loved  Jules  La 
Chance,  and  that  he  was  as  much  attracted  to  one  as  to 
the  other,  what  should  he  do?"  The  discussion  in  reply 
would  have  given  Tom  time  to  have  lighted  a  dozen  pipes. 
Jules  was  pledged  to  the  Crow  girl,  and  that  was  a  sacred 
contract  said  one.  Well  enough,  said  another,  he  gave 
Oo-jan-ge  his  ring,  and  if  she  had  not  sacrificed  herself 
probably  Jules  might  not  have  lived  to  marry  either  girl. 
"Well,  tell  us  quickly  how  he  did  finally  solve  the  prob- 
lem," asked  another.  "Easiest  thing  in  the  world," 
replied  Tom, — "if  you  only  know  how.  He  married  both 
of  the  girls,  of  course.  There  was  no  other  square  way  of 
doing  the  business.  Of  course,  Father  DeSmet  was  not 
in  it,  but  the  thing  was  all  fixed  up  in  good  shape.  Jules 
was  a  square  man  and  wouldn't  do  a  mean  trick.  You 
have  heard  the  old  adage,  'When  in  Rome  do  as  the  Ro- 
mans do,'  so  when  among  the  Indians,  do  as  the  Indians 
do. 

"Hongs-kay-de,  the  son  of  a  well-known  Puncah  Chief, 
and  who  also  became  'The  great  Chief,'  as  his  name  indi- 
cates, married  four  girls  in  one  day.  They  were  the 
daughters  of  as  many  leading  men  of  his  tribe,  the  ages 
of  each  being  between  twelve  and  fifteen  years.  Hongs- 
kay-de  himself  was  only  eighteen.     Of  course,  he  distin- 


234        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

guished  himself  in  this  act,  but  his  bravery  made  him  the 
hero  of  his  tribe.  The  fathers  of  the  four  brides  were 
present  as  parties  to  the  transaction.  Later  Mr.  Chou- 
teau of  St.  Louis,  the  fur  trader,  and  Major  Sanford,  the 
agent  for  the  Upper  Missouri  Indians — in  the  thirties, 
with  Cathn  the  artist,  all  were  guests  at  the  home  of  the 
young  chief  and  saw  all  the  brides,  who  were  reported  to 
be  very  happy.  The  event  is  a  matter  of  history.  The 
Indian  girls  usually  mature  and  marry  young.  Among 
the  warring  tribes  so  many  men  are  killed  in  battle  that 
some  means  must  be  adopted  to  give  all  the  girls  a  square 
deal  for  a  home.  It  is,  therefore,  common  for  the  chiefs  of 
many  of  the  tribes  to  have  more  than  one  wife.  A  few  of 
the  ranchmen  have  two  Indian  wives.  I  have  told  you  of 
the  incident  that  you  may  know  more  of  western  hfe,  as 
it  sometimes  is  where  there  is  no  law  to  regulate  these 
matters,  but  I  must  now  say  good-night. "  And  Tom  was 
off  toward  his  camp.  Having  no  confirmation  of  the  story 
of  Jules'  wedding  I  am  unable  to  vouch  for  its  historic 
accuracy. 

In  the  morning  we  made  an  early  start.  We  were  in- 
formed that  from  Red  Buttes  a  road  laid  out  by  J.  M. 
Bozeman  in  1863  branched  ofiF,  running  through  the 
country  of  the  Crow  Indians  to  the  Missouri  River  in 
Montana.  Bozeman  City  received  its  name  in  honor  of 
that  pioneer.  In  the  year  preceding  that  of  our  visit, 
this  so-called  "cut-ofT"  was  the  scene  of  several  serious 
Indian  skirmishes,  in  which  General  Sully  figured  con- 
spicuously. In  one  of  the  engagements  he  reported  hav- 
ing killed  about  six  hundred  Sioux  Indians.  Our  course, 
however,  took  us  along  the  old  Oregon  trail  toward  South 
Pass.  Crossing  a  barren  valley  of  alkaline  deserts,  we 
reached  the  soda  lake,  which  is  indicated  on  the  charts  of 


A  NIGHT  AT  RED  BUTTES  235 

the  old  explorers.  There  were  two  double  teams  there 
from  the  Bear  River  Valley,  the  wagons  of  which  were 
being  loaded  with  the  saleratus,  which  they  stated  was 
pure.  Such  employment  seemed  rather  hazardous  in 
view  of  the  existing  Indian  troubles.  On  former  trips, 
they  had  received  thirty-five  cents  per  pound  for  their  loads. 
Professor  W.  H.  Reed  of  the  University  of  Wyoming 
states  to  me  that  the  soils  in  this  part  of  Wyoming  are 
mostly  clay  and  contain  soda  deposited  in  ancient  times, 
in  the  mesozoic  age.  The  clays  are  exceedingly  rich  in 
alkaline  salts  or  the  salts  of  sodium.  The  melting  snows 
and  rains  penetrate  these  soils,  dissolving  the  soda,  and  it 
is  washed  into  the  sinks.  The  waters  evaporate  leaving 
the  soda  as  a  salt  in  the  bed  of  the  lakes.  Professor 
Reed,  who  has  thoroughly  prospected  these  lakes,  reports 
having  found  over  12  feet  in  depth  of  solid  crystals.  It 
gUstened  in  the  sunlight  as  if  it  might  be  free  from  foreign 
matter. 

Four  miles  farther  on  we  crossed  the  Sweetwater  River 
and  camped.  Near  this  point  is  Independence  Rock,  a 
conspicuous,  though  not  a  lofty,  granite  dome,  which  has 
long  been  a  landmark  on  that  trail.  It  is  mentioned  in  the 
chronicles  of  the  first  Mormon  emigrants,  who  camped 
there  June  21,  1847,  at  w^hich  time  the  names  of  some 
persons  were  found  painted  upon  one  of  its  cliffs.  So  far 
as  I  can  learn,  both  from  written  and  oral  accounts,  it  is 
not  now  known  who  gave  the  Rock  its  name.  Mention 
of  it  by  its  present  name  is  made  in  Fremont's  reports  of 
his  explorations,  also  in  the  reports  of  the  Reverend  Sam- 
uel Parker,  who  visited  it  in  1835.  Again,  in  1836,  Parker, 
with  his  bride,  and  the  Reverend  Marcus  Whitman  and 
his  bride,  paused  here  on  their  remarkable  wedding  tour, 
which  has  become  historic.     These  two  young  brides  ap- 


236        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

pear  to  be  the  first  white  women  that  ever  crossed  the 
Continent.  Independence  Rock,  therefore,  seems  to 
have  been  a  halting  place  for  all  travelers  on  the  Oregon 
trail,  and  was  known  as  such  before  that  pathway  received 
a  name. 


CHAPTER    XIX 

Camp  Fire  Yarns  at  Three  Crossings 

THE  Prince  of  Darkness  has  been  highly  honored 
by  the  trappers  in  the  West  in  the  nomenclature 
of  various  freaks  of  nature,  in  the  same  manner, 
though  perhaps  not  with  the  same  devout  spirit, 
as  the  names  of  saints  have  been  perpetuated  by  the  early 
Christian  fathers,  who  established  their  missions  in  the 
southwest  along  the  trail  of  the  Spanish  conquerors. 

The  names  applied  to  objects  often  afford  a  clue  to  the 
character  of  the  men  who  first  applied  them.  Although 
no  signs  of  human  life  or  habitation  were  visible  along  this 
part  of  the  Sweetwater,  not  only  because  of  hostile  Indians 
but  chiefly  because  of  predatory  outlaws,  who  were  said  to 
live  in  seclusion  in  these  mountains,  this  location  had  won 
and  maintained  a  very  bad  repute.  It  is,  therefore,  not 
strange  that  the  remarkable  cleft  in  the  vast  pile  of  granite 
through  which  the  rushing  torrent  of  the  Sweetwater  here 
crowds  its  way,  became  known  as  Devil's  Gate.  \Mien  we 
saw  the  dark  and  massive  walls  of  the  shadowy  opening 
looming  upon  our  right,  we  were  almost  prepared  to  see 
his  Satanic  Majesty  or  some  of  his  minions  emerge  from 
its  imposing  portals,  but  as  all  seemed  to  be  serene,  we 
might  safely  conclude  that, 

237 


238        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

"  From  his  brimstone  bed  at  break  of  day 
A-walking  the  Devil  is  gone, 
To  look  at  his  snug,  little  farm  of  the  World, 
And  see  how  his  stock  went  on — " 

This  chasm  is  about  six  miles  from  Independence  Rock, 
and  there  were  believed  to  be  many  herds  of  stolen  stock 
concealed  back  in  the  valleys  beyond  what  would  seem  to 
be  an  eastern  spur  of  the  Sweetwater  range  of  mountains. 
Ben,  Fred,  Paul  and  I  undertook  an  exploration  of  the 
summit  of  the  mountain  and  also  of  the  gorge,  which  we 
entered  at  the  point  from  which  the  stream  emerges  from 
the  chasm.  We  followed  up  the  right  bank  of  the  river, 
clambering  over  the  rocky  shore,  all  of  which  proved  rather 
an  easy  task.  From  a  slight  elevation  we  were  able  to 
look  through  the  entire  extent  of  the  chasm,  which  ap- 
peared to  be  about  twelve  hundred  feet  in  length,  and 
varied  from  four  to  ten  rods  in  width.  In  the  narrowest 
pass  it  is  compressed  within  walls  hardly  more  than  two 
rods  apart.  The  sides  of  the  cliffs  rise  to  a  height  of  about 
four  hundred  feet.  \Miy  and  how  the  river  forced  its 
way  through  this  isolated,  granite  cone,  seems  a  mystery, 
as  there  is  apparently  no  obstacle  to  prevent  its  flowing 
undisturbed  round  the  lower  borders  of  the  south  slope. 
Some  great  convulsion  of  nature  must  have  spUt  the 
mountain  through  its  center  and  opened  this  channel. 
The  chasm  was  certainly  not  formed  by  erosion,  for  the 
sides  of  the  cliff  expose  a  face  of  grey,  weather-stained 
granite,  with  perpendicular  seams  and  scoriated  trap  rock. 
Reaching  the  narrowest  point  in  the  gorge  we  found  it 
impossible  to  proceed  further,  as  the  swift,  foaming  waters 
of  the  rapids  swept  along  the  base  of  the  high  walls,  rush- 
ing over  and  between  the  broken  masses  of  rock  that  had 


CAMP  FIRE  YARNS  AT  THREE  CROSSINGS  239 

tumbled  down,  leaving  no  footing  near  the  banks  of  the 
stream. 

At  this  narrow  point  we  discovered  four  or  five  groups 
of  names  painted  upon  the  face  of  a  granite  cUff  and 
beneath  a  low,  over-hanging  rock  that  protected  them 
from  the  tempest.  Among  them,  neatly  printed  with  blue 
ink,  were  what  appeared  to  be  the  names  of  the  members 
of  a  small  party.  The  last  name  in  this  group  was  Emily 
Wheeler  and  was  followed  by  the  date  July,  1864.  We 
thought  httle  more  of  this  young  explorer  until,  on  the 
following  day,  while  riding  a  few  miles  westward  beyond 
Devil's  Gate,  my  attention  was  attracted  to  a  small  board 
standing  about  a  fourth  of  a  mile  south  of  the  trail  and 
apparently  placed  there  to  mark  the  spot.  Led  by  curios- 
ity, I  rode  through  the  sage  brush  and  found  upon  a  little 
barren  knoll  a  grave  at  which  the  board  had  been  squarely 
set.  Upon  this  marker  painted  in  blue  ink,  were  the  fol- 
lowing words:  "To  the  memory  of  Emily  \Mieeler,  who 
died  July  19, 1864 — age  17  years. "  It  was  the  same  name, 
the  same  month,  and  the  same  neat  lettering  that  we  had 
seen  on  the  cliff  and  it  was  printed  with  the  same  kind  of 
ink.  On  the  rocks  I  remembered  ha\'ing  seen  below  the 
names  and  also  in  blue  ink  the  word  "Illinois."  We, 
therefore,  inferred  that  the  party  came  from  that  state. 
There  were  crowded  into  those  few  words  painted  in  blue 
the  outlines  of  a  sad  story.  They  fairly  illustrated  an 
experience  that  befell  nearly  every  party  of  emigrants, 
who  in  those  days  made  the  long  and  hazardous  trip  across 
that  country.  Some  one  without  doubt  know^s  the  rest 
of  the  story  of  Emily  Wheeler  and  the  different  circum- 
stances under  which  the  two  inscriptions  were  written. 
It  would  appear  that  her  friends  were  compelled  to  leave 
her  in  that  far  away  wilderness,  over  which  the  Arapahoe 
hunted  his  game,  where, 


240        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

"  No  tears  embalm  her  tomb. 

None  but  the  dews  by  twilight  given, 

Where  not  a  sigh  disturbs  the  gloom, 

None  but  the  whispering  winds  of  heaven. " 

The  Sweetwater  River  becomes  smooth  and  placid 
immediately  after  it  emerges  from  the  Devil's  Gate,  flow- 
ing on  quietly  through  picturesque  scenery.  Westward 
from  this  point  the  granite  ridges  rise  from  the  northern 
bank  of  the  river  in  rugged  cliffs.  The  country  in  general, 
while  very  interesting,  is  barren,  the  chief  vegetation  being 
the  artemesia  or  wild  sage,  which  in  those  parts  is  found 
growing  to  a  large  size,  so  as  to  furnish  very  good  fuel. 

On  the  evening  of  July  26,  1866,  we  camped  at  Three 
Crossings,  forty-two  miles  west  of  Platte  Bridge.  Within 
a  few  rods  it  was  necessary  to  ford  the  rapidly  running 
Sweetwater  three  times.  The  number  of  these  crossings 
doubtless  gave  rise  to  the  name  by  which  this  place  seems 
to  have  been  known.  It  was  also  recognized  as  one  of  the 
most  dangerous  sections  of  the  western  country  for  peace- 
ful travelers,  by  reason  not  only  of  the  frequent  attacks  of 
Indians,  but  also  of  the  fact  that  bands  of  white  thieves 
and  robbers  had  made  their  headquarters  near  there  some- 
where in  the  mountains,  and  were  quite  as  much  to  be 
feared  as  were  the  savages.  In  1865  William  F.  Cody 
(who  became  known  as  Buffalo  Bill)  accepted  this  precari- 
ous route  as  a  stage  driver,  and  here  met  with  some  of  the 
experiences  that  contributed  to  his  fame. 

In  the  following  season,  the  year  of  our  trip,  the  stages 
were  transferred  to  the  southern  route  on  account  of  these 
frequent  Indian  raids  and  attacks  of  robbers.  On  one 
trip,  near  Three  Crossings,  Cody  sustained  an  attack  of 
several  hundred  Sioux.     The  Division  Agent  sat  upon  the 


CAIVIP  FIRE  YARNS  AT  THREE  CROSSINGS  241 

box  of  the  stage  with  Cody.  There  were  also  seven  pas- 
sengers inside  the  stage,  all  well  armed,  as  was  almost  the 
invariable  custom.  Cody  applied  the  lash  to  the  horses, 
amid  a  shower  of  arrows,  some  piercing  the  stage,  some 
wounding  the  frightened  animals.  The  agent  who  sat  with 
Cody  was  also  dangerously  wounded.  The  men  inside  the 
box  kept  themselves  busy  with  their  rifles  and  revolvers 
from  their  less  exposed  position,  and  as  the  stage  rattled 
over  the  rocky  road  brought  a  few  of  the  savages  low  and 
held  the  enemy  at  bay.  It  was  a  running  fight  in  which 
the  bleeding  and  terrified  horses  fully  bore  their  part. 
Cody  was  able  to  reach  Three  Crossings,  where  men  at  the 
station  joined  in  the  fight  and  forced  the  Indians  to  fall 
back.  I  am  informed  by  Colonel  Cody  that  this  is  the 
event  which  in  the  earlier  days  of  his  Wild  West  show  he 
endeavored  to  picture  in  as  realistic  a  manner  as  possi- 
ble, with  a  score  of  tamed  red  men  with  repeating  rifles. 

After  our  supper  a  few  of  us  forded  the  river  and  climbed 
some  distance  up  into  the  mountain,  obtaining  a  fine  view 
of  the  country  and  incidentally  creating  no  little  diversion 
by  rolling  huge,  detached  rocks  found  on  the  edge  of  the 
cliffs  in  terrific  and  resistless  course  down  to  the  valley 
beneath.  A  young  man  from  Creighton's  outfit,  no  more 
than  sixteen  years  of  age,  accompanied  us,  and  finally  at 
parting  announced  that  he  would  return  by  a  different 
path  from  that  which  we  were  taking.  The  days  at  that 
season  of  the  year  being  long,  we  concluded  the  day's 
journey  before  sunset.  Dropping  down  to  rest,  after 
reaching  camp,  we  heard  a  voice  faintly  sounding,  as  if 
from  the  sky.  It  came  from  the  youth,  who  was  still  far 
up  the  mountain  side  and  that  moment  in  the  full  light  of 
the  setting  sun.  He  was  e\ndently  seeking  to  attract  our 
attention  to  his  perilous  position,  for  he  was  poised  at  a 


242        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

dizzy  height,  several  hundred  feet  above  us  on  a  very 
sUght  projection,  where  he  appeared  Hke  a  moving  speck. 
From  his  point  of  observation  he  was  unable  to  decide 
upon  the  safest  course  for  descent.  The  air  being  very 
still,  his  friends  from  across  the  river  were  able  to  advise 
him  as  to  the  difficulties  below  him.  His  voice  could  be 
heard  distinctly  from  the  distance.  In  his  descent,  his  gar- 
ments had  already  been  torn  to  shreds  as  the  result  of 
sliding  down  the  rough  rocks,  and  now,  as  he  informed 
us,  the  soles  of  his  boots  were  so  slippery  that  he  could 
not  retain  his  footing.  The  boots  were  soon  rattling  down 
the  cliffs.  Plans  were  made  to  secure  a  rope,  which  might 
be  lowered  to  him  from  above,  leaving  one  end  fastened 
at  a  higher  point.  The  night,  however,  was  fast  coming. 
Watchers,  who  could  do  little  for  him,  expected  at  almost 
any  moment  to  see  his  body  tumble  down  the  chffs.  The 
youth  was  favored  by  the  twilight,  long  after  he  was  lost 
to  our  sight  in  the  dim  shadows.  It  was  some  time  after 
dark  when  friends  bore  the  little  fellow  across  the  river, 
where  others  quickly  gathered.  He  was  bleeding  and 
torn.  The  flesh  on  the  soles  of  his  feet  was  worn  nearly  to 
the  bone.  Although  physically  almost  a  wreck,  he  had 
such  youthful  vigor  as  in  a  few  days  put  him  again  on  duty. 

When  the  night  closed  upon  us,  our  camps  were  pitched 
along  the  south  bank  of  the  clear  Sweetwater  River.  At 
the  west,  the  campfire  of  Creigh ton's  train  lighted  up  a 
little  circle,  around  which  were  gathered  the  drivers,  ex- 
cept such  as  were  standing  guard  for  the  stock.  In  our 
camp  nearby,  the  tin  plates  had  been  retired  and  Deacon 
Cobb  and  some  others  of  the  older  members  of  the  party 
had  gone  to  bed  early  to  keep  warm;  for  the  night,  al- 
though bright  and  beautiful,  was  cool. 

Having  in  mind  some  extravagance  in  the  use  of  fuel, 


CAMP  FIRE  YARNS  AT  THREE  CROSSINGS  243 

Ben,  Fred,  and  I  had  harvested  a  good  supply  of  sage 
brush,  which  we  turned  in  at  the  Warne  camp  with  the 
view  of  making  the  evening  as  cheerful  as  possible.  Every- 
thing there  was  in  readiness,  when  we  chanced  to  meet 
Tom  Soon  and  succeeded  in  leading  him  down  to  the  big 
fire,  where  welcome  was  accorded  him  and  the  seat  of 
honor,  on  the  end  of  an  empty  water  keg.  During  a  little 
preliminary  conversation,  and  as  if  settling  down  to  the 
peaceful  enjoyment  of  his  comfortable  environment,  he 
mechanically  drew  out  his  tobacco  pouch  and  slowly  filled 
his  pipe,  lighting  it  with  a  burning  stick  found  near  the 
edge  of  the  fire. 

Mr.  Warne  was  half  reclining  upon  some  robes,  his  three 
daughters  nestling  very  close  to  him,  and  his  wife,  in  a 
more  dignified  position,  occupied  a  camp  chair  nearby. 
The  rest  of  our  party  completed  the  circle.  From  time  to 
time  one  would  tell  a  story  and  others  would  hum  a  tune, 
while  all  watched  the  changing  pictures  in  the  fire  or  a  sud- 
den flash  of  light  from  the  burning  sticks  which  now  and 
then,  for  a  moment,  illuminated  the  figures  in  the  circle. 

We  were  anxious  to  hear  more  from  Tom,  and  finally 
when  he  had  concluded  a  graphic  description  of  a  war-dance 
which  he  had  recently  witnessed,  one  of  the  young  ladies 
said,  "Mr.  Soon,  can  you  tell  us  why  Indian  warriors  wear 
so  many  feathers  and  decorate  their  heads  in  so  grand  a 
fashion,  while  their  women  dress  more  simply.'*  Does  it 
not  seem  childish.''" 

"Well,"  Tom  replied,  "Indians  are  creatures  who  follow 
their  tribal  fashions,  but  their  fashions  don't  change  very 
much.  An  incident  now  comes  to  my  mind  that  shows 
how  the  fashions  of  others  sometimes  impress  the  Red 
Man  and  also  an  old  fellow  like  me,  when  those  fashions 
are  seen  for  the  first  time.  Two  or  three  years  ago,  Billy 
Comstock,  the  scout,  and  I  were  instructed  to  talk  with 


244        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

some  Ogallalla  Chiefs,  and  arrange  to  have  them  visit 
Washington  City  and  see  the  Great  Father,  President 
Lincoln.  It  was  beHeved  that  if  they  could  learn  from 
personal  observation  that  the  coimtry  was  great  and  power- 
ful, they  would  not  wish  longer  to  fight  the  whites.  Well, 
we  induced  them  to  go,  so  I  went  with  them  and  the  Indian 
Agent  as  far  as  St.  Louis.  We  stayed  over  night  at  the 
Planter's  House,  in  that  city.  I  had  been  out  West  a  long 
time  and  was  almost  as  green  as  the  Indians  were,  con- 
cerning the  existing  fashions  and  customs  of  civilized 
people.  Well,  we  got  rooms  for  them,  but  what  does  a 
wild  Indian  know  about  a  bed?  Of  course  the  blankets 
were  all  over  the  floor  and  so  were  the  Chiefs.  They 
couldn't  get  into  a  bed  any  more  than  they  could  use  the 
things  on  the  table.  They  thought  the  pillows  were  the 
funniest  things  they  ever  saw.  One  of  the  Indians  was 
astonished  on  approaching  a  big  looking  glass.  He 
thought  he  saw  a  warrior  that  he  had  never  seen  before 
coming  right  at  him.  But  what  do  you  think  they  did 
when  they  saw  the  women  on  the  street?  It  was  about 
that  time  when  women  began  to  wear  big  dresses  and 
hooped  skirts.  I  had  never  myself  seen  such  dresses  until 
then.  They  didn't  wear  them  when  I  was  a  boy.  The 
Indians  were  starting  up  the  sidewalk  through  the  crowd, 
in  a  sort  of  single  file  as  they  generally  do,  and  three  fine 
women  came  along  wearing  those  big  dresses  and  grand 
bonnets  on  their  heads.  Of  course  the  women  didn't 
realize  how  strange  they  appeared  to  us,  but  they  were 
interested  in  the  Indians  and  stopped  to  look  at  the  Chiefs 
who  wore  blankets  and  big  feathers.  The  Indians  were 
also  interested  in  the  women,  and  they  stopped  in  front  of 
the  ladies,  who  wore  skirts  almost  big  enough  for  tents, 
and  strange  feathers  in  their  bonnets.  For  a  minute 
both  parties  looked  at  each  other's  toggery. 


CAMP  FIRE  YARNS  AT  THREE  CROSSINGS  245 

"The  Indians  were  astonished  to  see  the  women  so  big 
around  and  wearing  such  gorgeous  things  on  their  heads. 
Of  course  the  ladies  quickly  looked  the  Indians  all  over 
at  a  glance,  just  as  they  would  at  any  curious  thing  in  a 
show,  and  as  they  have  a  right  to,  and  they  especially 
looked  at  the  feathers  on  the  Indians'  heads.  At  the  same 
time  the  Chiefs,  who  were  equally  interested  in  the  ladies' 
dresses,  almost  surrounded  the  women,  before  they  realized 
the  situation.  You  know  that  an  Indian  feels  that  it  is 
proper  to  examine  carefully  anything  that  interests  him. 
The  Indians  do  that  when  they  come  into  our  cabins,  in 
fact,  it  is  their  custom,  so  they  proceeded  at  once  to  examine 
the  ladies'  wardrobe  very  carefully,  before  the  ladies 
realized  that  they  themselves  were  also  objects  of  interest; 
but  the  Indians  did  not  go  very  far  in  their  investigation, 
for  the  women  gave  a  yell  loud  enough  for  any  Sioux  and 
broke  into  a  run.  Some  of  the  white  people's  fashions 
seem  to  be  as  ridiculous  to  the  wild  Indian  as  theirs  are  to 
you,  and  may  be  more  so,  for  you  see  pictures  of  other 
people,  and  the  Indians  do  not." 

"That's  all  right,  Tom,"  said  Mr.  Warne,  "fashion  is 
sometimes  only  a  freak. " 

An  old  fellow  with  a  big  red  mustache,  whose  name  I 
failed  to  obtain,  but  who  was  addressed  as  Conk,  standing 
somewhat  in  the  background,  overheard  Tom's  story.  At 
its  conclusion,  he  broke  in  ^\4th  a  remark — "Say,  Tom, 
don't  you  remember  about  that  Assiniboine  Wi-jun-jun, 
the  son  of  the  Chief,  who  went  to  Washington?" 

"Yes,  of  course  I  do, "  was  the  reply,  "but  let's  have  it. " 

We  all  called  for  the  story,  and  as  nearly  as  can  be  given 
from  memoranda  that  I  took  at  the  time,  his  talk  ran  like 
this: 

"  I  ain't  much  on  telhng  stories, "  (said  the  trapper)  "  but 


246        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

some  of  these  young  Indian  bucks  are  about  as  much 
dandies  as  any  of  the  white  folks.  You  know  Major 
Sanford  was  the  Indian  Agent  for  the  Assiniboine  tribe, 
and  as  a  lot  of  chiefs  from  other  tribes  were  going  down 
the  Missouri  to  go  to  see  the  President  in  Washington,  he 
went  for  Wi-jun-jun,  because  he  was  tall  and  wore  more 
feathers  and  put  on  more  d — d  style  with  his  people 
than  any  other  Injun  on  the  river." 

"Don't  swear.  Conk,"  interjected  Tom. 

"Excuse  me,  ladies, — but  as  I  was  saying,  he  would  go 
around  on  the  steamboat  when  he  was  going  down  the 
river,  so  the  people  and  the  other  Injuns  would  look  at  him 
just  as  fine  dressed  white  men  do  when  they  think  they 
are  better  than  common  folks.  But  he  was  a  d — d 
good  fighter!     Excuse  my  swearing,  ladies. 

"Well,  he  got  to  Washington  with  the  rest  of  'em  and 
thought  he  was  a  devil  of  a  fellow,  when  everybody,  men 
and  women,  looked  at  him, — more'n  they  did  at  the  rest 
of  'em.  He  and  the  rest  of  'em  were  took  aroun'  to  see  the 
ships  and  the  cannon  and  they  went  to  the  theatre,  and  he 
sot  where  everybody  could  see  him.  They  knew  the  In- 
juns were  going  to  be  there,  but  that  d — d  fool — excuse 
my  swearin,'  ladies — that  d — d  fool  thought  he  was  a  devil 
of  a  fellow.  He  felt  bigger  than  ever  when  they  wanted 
his  clothes  and  feathers  to  hang  up  in  some  show  place 
there,  so  he  let  'em  have  'em  in  trade  for  some  American 
soldiers'  clothes  made  for  a  general ,^ — and  the  Agent 
agreed  to  let  him  wear  his  Injun  clothes  until  he  got  back 
as  far  as  St.  Louis. 

"They  boarded  the  first  steamboat  that  Mr.  Chouteau 
sent  up  the  river  that  spring,  and  Sanford  went  with  'em 
and  took  Wi-jun-jun  into  his  room  on  the  boat,  and  helped 
him  change  his  clothes,  for  how  in  hell — excuse  my  swear- 


CAMP  FIRE  YARNS  AT  THREE  CROSSINGS  247 

ing,  ladies — could  an  Injun   get  into  a  general's  clothes, 
and  get  'em  on  right? 

"After  a  while  when  he  came  out  on  deck,  he  had  on  a 
blue  broadcloth  general's  coat,  with  high  collar  and  with 
gilt  epaulets  on  the  shoulders,  and  a  tall  beaver  hat.     He 
had  on  a  belt  ^-ith  a  big  sword,  and  he  had  on  long-top 
high-heeled  boots.     He  had  learned  on  this  trip  to  smoke 
cigars,  and  Sanford  brought  him  out  and  was  as  solemn  as 
a   funeral,   and   Wi-jun-jun    was   smoking   a  cigar,   and 
marched  out  on  deck  with  all  that  toggery  on.    The  sword 
got  between  his  legs  and  his  hat  was  on  the  back  of  his  head 
and  his  long  black  hair  hung  down  behind.     There  wasn't 
only  a  few  white  passengers  on  the  steamboat  and  they 
got  tired  of  him  pretty  soon,  but  when  they  all  got  to  the 
Yellowstone,  of  course.  Major  Sanford  and  his  Injuns  got 
off  at  their  to^Ti,  and  that  cuss— excuse  my  swearing, 
ladies — that  d — d  cuss  walked  up  through  their  village  and 
for  awhile  wouldn't  look  at  any  of  'em^ — even  his  wife. 
But  Sanford  had  give  him  two  bottles  of  whiskey,  and  they 
both  stuck  out  of  his  split-tail  coat  pockets,  and  pretty 
soon  he  commenced  on  the  whiskey.     The  next  day  the 
sleeves  of  his  coat  were  on  his  wife's  legs  for  leggins,  which 
she  thought  was  pretty  fine,  and  the  gold  lace  of  his  clothes 
were  on  women  in  the  tribe,  and  the  epaulet  things  were 
in  their  hair,  and  the  dandy  purty  soon  hadn't  a  d — d  thing 
left — excuse  my  swearing,  ladies — but  I  hear'n  you  talking 
about  how  feathers  looked  to  you  on  an  Injun  and  I  thought 
of    that   d — d  Assinboine — excuse   my   swearing,    ladies; 
I've  got  so  use  to  it  out  here  I  can't  help  it.     The  thing  is, 
he  had  shown  himself  off    in   soldiers'  clothes  and  don't 
you  see,  ladies,  that    an  Injun  must  wear  Injuns'  clothes 
or  he  looks  like — well,  I  came  purty  near  swearing, — but 
Injun  clothes  and  feathers  are  all  right  for  Injuns,  but 
ain't  worth  a  danm  for  white  people. " 


^48        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

The  trapper  bit  a  big  piece  from  his  plug  of  tobacco, 
while  he  received  favorable  expressions  concerning  the 
history,  which  he  had  given  and  yet — 

"Jack  was  embarrassed — never  hero  more — 
And  as  he  knew  not  what  to  say — he  swore. " 

Many  years  after  our  party  camped  near  Red  Buttes, 
the  WTiter  discovered  in  the  second  volume  of  Elliot  Coues' 
notes  on  Forty  Years  a  Fur  Trader,  a  brief  description 
of  the  visit  of  Wi-jun-jun  to  W  ashington  and  the  gift  to 
him  of  the  general's  outfit.  The  portrait  of  the  warrior- 
dude  is  preserved  in  the  Catlin  collection. 

The  mild  profanity  with  which  the  tale  was  decorated 
can  hardly  be  omitted  without  robbing  it  of  its  pecuUar 
western  flavor.  Dan  Trippe,  who  had  been  Hstening, 
finally  said,  "Mr.  Soon,  you  referred  a  moment  ago  to  Billy 
Comstock.  Some  of  us  also  knew  him  very  well.  A  few 
years  ago  Comstock  was  well  known  in  Colorado. " 

"He  was,"  replied  Tom,  "and  he  helped  might'ly  in 
that  Sand  Creek  affair.  Of  course,  we  know  him  as  Buffalo 
Bill." 

Tom  was  asked  to  tell  about  that  fight.  "I  know  all 
about  it, "  he  replied,  "but  I  don't  know  as  it's  right  to  tell 
the  women  about  these  Indian  scalpings."  Tom  was 
assured  that  when  women  were  out  where  things  were 
going  on,  they  were  no  more  nervous  than  men  were.  They 
all  had  gims  and  ought  to  know  the  true  condition  of 
things. 

"All  right,"  said  Tom.  "Well,  it  was  like  this.  A 
year  ago  last  August  the  Indians  began  a  series  of  raids, 
going  for  everything  and  everybody  along  the  stage  route 
from  Julesburg  east.     I  think  they  cleaned  out  every  ranch 


CAMP  FIRE  YARNS  AT  THREE  CROSSINGS  249 

and  attacked  every  train  and  stage  that  passed  in  that 
two  hundred  and  fifty  or  three  hundred  miles.  More  than 
forty  people  were  killed  by  them.  The  most  severe  fight 
was  at  Liberty  Farm,  east  of  Fort  Kearney  near  where  you 
crossed  the  Little  Blue  River.  There  was  a  small  train  of 
wagons  loaded  with  goods  for  George  Tritch  of  Denver. 
The  entire  party  of  whites  were  killed,  including  a  stage 
driver  and  the  station  keeper,  and  there  was  a  young 
woman  there  named  Mrs.  Eubanks,  and  her  child,  whom 
they  did  not  then  kill,  and  the  Indians  run  them  off,  and 
that  is  really  what  brought  on  the  Sand  Creek  Battle. 
The  Indians  were  Arapahoes.  The  people  of  Denver  were 
greatly  excited  when  the  news  reached  there.  Before  his 
train  was  attacked  Tritch  had  heard  of  the  troubles,  and 
having  so  many  valuable  goods  coming  along  that  line  he 
talked  with  Colonel  Chivangton,  and  they  arranged  with 
Billy  Comstock  and  Oliver  Wiggins  to  go  out  at  once,  and 
ascertain  where  the  Indians  were,  and  what  they  were  then 
planning  to  do.  Billy  went  down  the  Repubhcan  River 
and  Wiggins  went  down  the  Platte.  They  were  good 
scouts  and  spoke  Arapahoe  well.  Billy  had  been  inter- 
preter for  the  government  several  times.  He  knew  many 
of  the  Chiefs.  Billy's  route  was  away  from  the  line  of 
travel.  He  overtook  a  large  party  of  Arapahoes  quite  a 
way  dowTi  the  Republican,  and  after  he  had  watched  their 
movements  for  awhile,  he  run  up  to  the  Platte  and  re- 
ported, and  then  he  went  back  and  had  a  talk  with  the 
Indians.  He  kept  watch  on  that  band,  but  it  was  another 
party  of  Indians  who  made  the  raid  that  I  have  told  of. 
After  the  Liberty  Farm  massacre,  Comstock  and  Wiggins 
with  a  few  soldiers  from  the  Plum  Creek  Station  started 
out  and  followed  the  Indians  southward  and  overtook 
them.     They  saw  the  young  woman  riding  behind  Chief 


250        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Two  Face,  and  then  Billy  and  his  soldiers  had  a  fight  with 
the  Indians,  but  the  soldiers  were  greatly  outnumbered  and 
lost  most  of  their  horses. 

"In  November,  Colonel  Chivington  started  out  with  his 
forces  and  after  one  long  night  march,  the  scouts  led  them 
to  Sand  Creek,  where  they  surrounded  the  Indian  village 
and  then  the  fight  was  on.  It  was  a  slaughter.  Chiving- 
ton said  to  his  soldiers,  'Nits  make  lice,'  which  meant 
that  it  was  a  battle  to  the  finish,  and  that  they  need  not 
stop  with  the  old  Indians;  women  and  children  were  to  be 
killed  as  well, 

"Some  people  criticized  Colonel  Chivington  very  bitter- 
ly, declaring  that  this  warfare  was  brutal  and  uncivilized, 
but  the  people  of  Denver  gave  him  a  gold  mounted  rifle  as 
a  token  of  their  good  will.  The  Chief  and  three  or  four 
others  escaped  in  the  night  with  Mrs.  Eubanks  and  they 
were  caught  later  and  strung  up.  The  queerest  thing 
about  the  hanging  was  that  the  Colonel  of  the  troops  who 
caught  the  Chiefs  telegraphed  to  General  Connor,  in  com- 
mand of  the  department,  that  he  had  the  devils  in  chains. 
General  Connor  replied,  'Then  hang  them  in  chains,' 
and  it  was  done  mighty  quick.  In  a  little  time  the  Colonel 
received  another  message  from  General  Connor,  instruct- 
ing him  to  bring  the  scoundrels  to  Julesburg,  because  he 
had  decided  to  give  them  a  trial.  The  Colonel  telegraphed 
back  to  the  effect  that  he  'obeyed  his  first  message  before 
he  received  the  second.'" 

When  Tom  had  finished  this  recital,  the  camp  fires  had 
nearly  all  gone  out  on  the  shore  of  the  river,  and  the  bright 
moon  was  lighting  up  the  southern  slopes  of  the  Sweet- 
water Mountains.  Through  the  stillness  of  the  night  was 
heard  the  occasional  bark  of  a  few  coyotes  and  its  echo 
reflected  from  the  adjacent  mountain-side.     Our  party 


CAMP  FIRE  Y.\RNS  AT  THREE  CROSSmGS  2.51 

separated  and  slowly  wandered  along  the  river  to  their 
respective  camps.  The  manner  in  which  Cody  wrested 
from  Comstock  the  sobriquet  Buffalo  Bill,  has  been  ex- 
plained in  another  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XX 
A  Spectacular  Buffalo  Chase 

EXCEPT  perhaps  a  sudden  view  of  the  blue 
waters  of  the  broad  ocean,  few  things  in  nature 
are  more  inspiring  to  the  pilgrim  who  has 
plodded  his  way  across  our  barren  plains  than 
is  the  first  glimpse  of  some  towering  peaks  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  Riding  my  horse  in  advance  of  the  train, 
which  on  an  exceedingly  hot  July  day  was  toiling  up  a 
long  and  difficult  sandy  grade,  I  reached  a  flat  summit 
from  which  there  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  burst  upon 
my  view  the  entire  panorama  of  the  lofty  peaks  of  the 
Wind  River  range,  from  Fremont  Peak  to  South  Pass. 
They  were  "crowned  with  a  diadem  of  snow,"  but  were 
not  "in  a  robe  of  clouds,"  for  not  a  speck  of  mist  was 
visible  in  any  direction.  The  mountains  in  all  their  detail 
stood  out  against  the  blue  sky  with  wonderful  clearness  and 
it  seemed  as  if  they  were  not  ten  miles  away.  I  may  have 
been  unduly  excited,  but  in  calling  to  those  below  me,  who 
were  next  in  advance,  I  shouted  that  the  snow  mountains 
were  in  sight.  One  after  another  of  the  party  soon  arrived 
at  the  summit,  and  being  considerably  heated  after  the 
climb  they  had  made  under  the  sharp  rays  of  the  sun, 
some  of  the  men  insisted  that  the  brilliant  white  on  the 
distant  peaks  was  not  snow.  As  one  driver  put  it,  "Do 
you  think  I'm  a  fool,  to  think  that  snow  wouldn't  melt  in 

252 


A  SPECTACULAR  BUFFALO  CHASE    253 

hot  weather  like  this?"  This  man  from  the  prairie  did 
not  appreciate  the  towering  height  of  those  far  away 
peaks.  On  the  following  morning  we  were  informed  that 
they  were  still  thirty  miles  away,  and  after  two  more  days 
of  travel,  we  were  told  that  even  then  Fremont  Peak  was 
nearly  one  hundred  miles  beyond  us.  Fred  accordingly 
declared  that  we  should  never  reach  it  unless  we  turned 
back  in  the  other  direction,  because  the  longer  we  traveled 
toward  it,  the  further  it  was  away. 

The  day  after  we  obtained  our  first  view  of  Fremont 
Peak,  we  knew  that  we  were  near  a  certain  strange  freak 
of  nature  kno\\Ti  as  Ice  Springs.  Its  location  is  carefully 
noted  on  the  old  charts,  and  it  is  described  in  the  reports 
of  numerous  explorers  and  travelers.  In  every  descrip- 
tion of  the  springs  that  I  had  read  or  heard,  it  was  stated 
that  at  any  time  of  the  year,  even  in  the  late  summer,  a 
solid  mass  of  ice  could  be  found  within  a  foot  of  the  sur- 
face. We  determined  to  see  this  remarkable  phenomenon. 
The  springs  lie  near  the  foothill  on  the  edge  of  a  somewhat 
extensive  area  of  swampy  ground  from  which  no  water 
issues  on  the  surface.  Digging  down  a  spade's  depth  we 
reached  the  white  crystal  and  found  it  to  be  cold  enough  to 
answer  all  requirements,  but  it  was  so  hard  and  the  super- 
imposed mud  was  so  deep,  that  it  seemed  hardly  worth 
the  effort  to  obtain  a  block  under  such  difficulties.  We 
reported  to  our  friends  as  had  been  done  to  us  by  former 
travelers  that  solid  ice  was  there,  and  endeavored  to  ex- 
plain to  each  other  by  what  processes  ice  could  be  formed 
on  an  open  plain  during  hot  summer  days,  but  never 
arrived  at  a  satisfactory  solution  of  the  problem.  Pro- 
fessor W.  H.  Reed,  of  the  University  of  Wyoming,  has 
finally  come  to  my  assistance  and  exploded  the  "ice" 
theory  in  toto.     Having  learned  of  the  generally  accepted 


254        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

belief  that  natural  ice  is  formed  in  those  springs,  he  made 
the  matter  the  subject  of  personal  investigation  and  in- 
forms me  that  "the  springs  show  what  appears  to  be  ice, 
but  what  in  reality  is  soda  and  gypsum.  The  so-called 
ice  springs  yield  a  bitter  water;  this  is  because  of  the  dis- 
solving of  the  gypsum,  one  of  the  lime  deposits."  The 
springs  like  many  frauds  in  other  lands  are  very  interesting 
to  the  deluded  seeker  of  curiosities  and  marvels,  but  it 
causes  a  shock  to  learn  that  this  midsummer  ice  is  a 
fiction.  The  gypsum  resembles  soda  and  also  salt  and 
ice.     And  thus  is  our  popular  delusion  dispelled ! 

A  few  rods  west  of  the  springs  we  observed  two  or  three 
small  ponds  of  water,  which  were  exceedingly  bitter  to 
the  taste.  The  surrounding  soil  was  covered  thickly  with 
a  saline  efflorescence.  Beyond  the  springs,  we  reached 
a  creek  that  was  strongly  impregnated  with  sulphur. 
On  the  dry  plain  adjacent  I  discovered  the  finest  specimens 
of  petrifaction  I  have  ever  seen.  They  were  evidently 
sections  of  red  cedar  and  were  nearly  transparent.  Here 
and  there  lying  upon  the  ground  were  carcasses  of  buffaloes, 
which,  though  they  had  doubtless  lain  there  for  many 
weeks  under  the  direct  rays  of  a  midsummer  sun,  gave  no 
evidence  of  decomposition,  but  such  portions  as  had  not 
been  removed  by  the  wolves  were  preserved  and  dried 
solid  in  the  pure  air,  in  which  there  were  no  germs  of  decay. 
Availing  themselves  of  this  property,  the  Indians  and 
trappers  preserve  meat  by  hanging  it  up  to  dry  in  the  sun. 

During  the  day,  members  of  the  party  despatched  an 
antelope,  two  jack  rabbits,  and  a  few  healthy  rattle- 
snakes; and  they  reported  that  they  saw  Indians  sneaking 
up  a  distant  ravine. 

Truly  interesting  was  this  land  of  wonders,  which  we  are 
hardly  justified  in  calling  "Wyoming"  in  this  description. 


A  SPECTACULAR  BUFFALO  CHASE         255 

because  there  was  no  territory  having  that  name  until  1886. 
One  of  those  bright  days,  when  the  train  had  'laid  by' 
to  give  the  stock  a  rest,  Ben  and  I  strolled  out  on  foot  for  a 
hunt.  After  wandering  a  few  hours  over  treeless  hills  and 
into  dry  valleys,  we  began  to  suffer  severely  from  thirst. 
We  changed  our  course  from  time  to  time,  allured  by 
indications  of  any  distant  ravine  along  the  bottom 
of  which  might  creep  a  rivulet.  We  were  invariably 
disappointed.  As  our  travel  had  at  all  times  carried  us 
away  from  the  trail,  we  soon  realized  that  many  hours 
must  pass  before  we  could  again  find  relief  in  our  camp. 
One  little  diversion  temporarily  turned  our  thoughts  from 
our  personal  discomforts.  We  were  standing  above  a 
narrow  ravine  counseling  together  as  to  our  future  course 
when  we  heard  the  report  of  a  rifle  shot  coming  from  an 
unseen  point  up  the  valley,  possibly  a  mile  distant.  We 
were  not  previously  aware  of  the  presence  of  any  other 
person  in  that  vicinity  nor  did  we  learn  who  fired  the  shot. 
It  was  evidently  directed  toward  a  herd  of  antelopes,  for 
in  a  few  seconds  about  a  dozen  of  the  graceful  beasts  came 
sweeping  toward  us  along  the  bottom  of  the  ravine.  I 
had  seen  many  herds  of  antelopes  skimming  over  the 
plains,  usually  in  the  distance,  but  never  before  nor  since 
that  time  have  I  beheld  such  poetry  of  motion  or  such  re- 
markable speed  in  an  animal  as  was  exhibited  by  those 
frightened  creatures.  Along  the  valley  were  numerous 
dense  clumps  of  sage  brush  six  or  seven  feet  in  height  and 
in  some  cases  covering  rather  a  large  area.  These  ob- 
stacles did  not  seem  to  retard  the  flight  of  the  airy  crea- 
tures in  the  slightest  degree.  Bunched  closely  together, 
the  antelopes  fairly  sailed  over  one  obstruction  after  an- 
other with  wonderful  ease  and  grace,  never  touching  a 
twig  and  always  alighting  upon  all  four  feet;  and  again 


256        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

springing  from  all  fours  they  bounded  swiftly  onward, 
glancing  like  arrows  over  the  next  patch  of  sage  brush. 
One  quick  and  seemingly  light  touch  now  and  then  upon 
the  earth  was  all  that  was  needed  to  send  them  onward. 
As  they  approached  the  point  where  we  stood,  each  of  us 
fired  a  shot  at  them,  but  we  were  too  slow  for  their  move- 
ments. Much  has  been  written  concerning  the  gazelle, 
the  springbok,  the  chamois,  and  other  congeners  of  this 
beautiful  animal,  but  there  appears  to  be  no  definite 
information  concerning  the  maximum  speed  of  the  antelope 
of  our  plains,  which  is  known  by  zoologists  as  the  prong- 
horn  antelope.  The  opportunity  was  afforded  us  to  wit- 
ness from  a  favorable  position  but  a  few  rods  distant  a 
wonderful  burst  of  speed,  which  in  our  judgment  would 
have  left  the  swiftest  race  horse  quickly  out  of  sight. 
When  this  swiftly  moving  picture  had  vanished  we  should- 
ered our  rifles  for  the  long  tramp  toward  the  train. 

Hardly  a  day  had  passed  during  the  few  preceding 
weeks  in  which  we  had  not  seen  herds  of  antelopes  and 
black-tailed  deer,  but  our  approach  toward  antelopes  was 
usually  discovered  by  them  very  quickly  and  a  few  rapid 
bounds  put  them  beyond  reach  of  our  rifles,  where  they 
would  sometimes  suddenly  turn,  and  with  long,  sleek  ears 
tipped  forward  and  large  eyes  turned  toward  the  source  of 
danger  often  remain  to  watch  the  closer  approach  of  the 
hunter.  Paul  Beemer  was  our  most  accomplished  sports- 
man and  his  patience  was  occasionally  rewarded. 

When  we  started  upon  our  return  from  the  long  wander- 
ings of  the  day  to  which  I  have  referred,  we  realized  that  a 
drink  of  cool  water  would  have  been  more  welcome  than  an 
antelope  would  have  been.  As  our  course  outward  had  been 
tortuous,  without  any  objective  point  in  view,  and  had 
carried  us  possibly  eight  miles  from  camp,  our  knowledge 


A  SPECTACULAR  BUFFALO  CHASE         257 

of  plainscraft  was  fully  tested,  for  the  camp  was  pitched 
in  a  little  valley  invisible  from  any  point  forty  rods  distant. 
Many  of  the  ravines  were  dry  runs,  down  which  the  water 
evidently  had  flowed  in  time  of  storms,  but  in  the  sides  of 
many  of  them  were  exposed  strata  of  alkali  several  feet  in 
thickness.  We  finally  observed  in  the  distance  the  glisten- 
ing of  water  in  a  broad,  sandy  valley  and  changed  our 
course  to  reach  it.  It  proved  to  be  one  of  those  remarkable 
water  courses  common  in  parts  of  that  country,  where  a 
stream  filters  along  beneath  the  dry  quicksand  and  here 
and  there  appears  for  a  short  distance  at  the  surface,  but 
it  would  have  been  impossible  to  dip  the  tiniest  cup  of 
water  from  it,  for  the  sand  instantly  refilled  the  slightest 
depression  made  in  it.  A  strainer  of  fine  cloth  might 
possibly  have  prevented  one  from  drinking  sand.  There 
was,  indeed,  an  opportunity  to  moisten  our  lips,  but  wet 
sand  is  an  unsatisfactory  beverage  at  best.  The  water 
was  found  to  be  strongly  alkaline,  therefore  unfit  to  quench 
thirst — an  unpleasant  disappointment  on  a  hot  day  in  the 
midst  of  a  hot,  arid  plain. 

"Traverse  the  desert,  and  then  ye  can  tell 
What  treasures  exist  in  the  cold,  deep  well. 
Sink  in  despair  on  the  red,  parched  earth, 
And  then  we  may  reckon  what  water  is  worth. " 

This  water  famine  of  only  eight  or  nine  hours  was  com- 
paratively a  small  matter,  but  it  impressed  us  with  the 
fact  of  our  constant  dependence  upon  the  simple  things  of 
life.  When  we  had  foimd  our  camp  and  satisfied  our 
thirst  from  the  old  water  keg  we  discovered  with  pleasure 
that  Paul,  who  went  out  as  usual  alone  on  horseback,  had 


258        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

brought  in  an  antelope,  which,  of  course,  furnished  us 
steak  for  supper. 

Paul's  success,  however,  was  eclipsed  on  the  following 
day.  It  was  July  29th.  Driving  Pete's  fine  four-horse 
team  in  advance  of  the  train,  and  while  passing  along  the 
summit  of  an  elevated  ridge  commanding  an  extended 
view  over  a  broad  valley  on  our  left,  I  discovered  a  dark, 
moving  object  three  or  four  miles  distant,  toward  the 
furthest  limit  of  that  depression.  The  field-glass  disclosed 
the  fact  that  it  was  a  solitary  buffalo.  The  train  was 
halted.  Although  tens  of  thousands  of  these  magnificent 
animals  were  at  close  range  later  on  my  return,  this  was 
the  first  buffalo  thus  far  seen  on  our  trip  that  was  near 
enough  to  justify  the  hunt.  Fresh  meat  was  needed,  and 
every  one  was  eager  for  any  excitement.  It  was  therefore 
determined  that  Ben,  Fred,  and  Mr.  Alsop,  the  Captain 
of  Creighton's  train,  should  enter  the  chase.  Hasty 
preparations  to  that  end  were  accordingly  made. 

Intense  excitement  was  manifested  not  only  by  the 
spectators  but  by  our  chosen  representatives  while  the 
trio  belted  their  waists,  tightened  their  saddle  girths,  ex- 
amined their  fire-arms,  discarded  their  waistcoats,  slung 
aside  their  hats,  and  otherwise  prepared  for  the  coming 
encounter — in  all  of  which  they  received  willing  assistance. 
At  the  last  moment  Dan  Trippe,  the  Nestor  of  our  group  on 
all  such  occasions,  stood  beside  his  wagon  with  uncovered 
head  and  in  an  earnest  manner  from  his  unfailing  knowl- 
edge gave  the  boys  some  parting  words  of  advice  and 
admonition.  He  briefly  instructed  them  in  the  habits  of 
the  American  Bison,  (Bos  Americanus)  its  mode  of  defense 
and  its  sudden  attacks.  He  carefully  informed  them  in 
what  part  of  the  body  the  leaden  missile  would  be  most 
likely  to  prove  effective  and  where  it  would  strike  as 


A  SPECTACULAR  BUFFALO  CHASE    259 

harmlessly  as  a  feather.  Thus  duly  prepared  for  the  chase, 
the  boys,  as  had  been  arranged,  rode  rapidly  round  the 
valley  to  the  right.  Captain  Alsop  turned  to  the  left  and 
soon  disappeared  from  sight.  The  plan  agreed  upon  was  to 
out-flank  the  buffalo  from  both  sides  and  start  the  chase 
toward  the  train.  Nothing  could  have  been  planned  to 
produce  a  more  spectacular  contest.  The  affair  was  to 
occur  in  a  magnificent  natural  amphitheater  the  floor  of 
which  was  comparatively  level,  and  the  spectators  occupied 
a  remarkably  favorable  position  upon  the  elevated  ridge 
at  one  end  of  the  ellipse,  commanding  a  fine  view  of  the 
entire  field.  Stretched  along  in  the  distance  at  our  right 
were  the  snow-clad  peaks  of  the  Wind  River  Range. 
In  scenic  effect  it  was  hardly  inferior  to  the  site  of  the 
amphitheater  in  Taormina,  where  Mount  Etna  at  the 
south  and  the  Snow  Mountains  across  the  straits  of  Messina 
once  added  to  the  interest  of  the  sports  in  the  arena.  All 
agreed  that  such  opportunities  were  very  uncommon.  In 
about  thirty  minutes  nearly  every  watcher  at  the  same 
moment  observed  the  boys  emerging  from  a  ravine  along 
which  they  had  entered  the  valley  and  about  one-third  of 
a  mile  beyond  their  game.  Every  spectator  was  as  intent 
on  witnessing  what  was  to  follow  as  if  in  the  ring  at  a  bull 
fight  in  Old  Madrid.  At  the  same  moment  the  buffalo 
also  caught  his  first  glimpse  of  his  pursuers.  Then  fol- 
lowed a  demonstration  which  some  of  the  older  hunters 
declared  that  they  had  never  before  witnessed.  The 
animal,  which  proved  to  be  an  unusually  large  bull  buffalo, 
turned  toward  the  horsemen  and  as  if  in  defiance  gave  an 
angry  shake  of  his  massive  head;  then  dropping  upon  the 
ground  rolled  entirely  over  three  times  as  if  to  warm  him- 
self to  the  approaching  combat,  and  all  as  nimbly  as  would 
a  kitten  and  with  a  celerity  of  movement  marvellous  in  so 


260        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

large  an  animal.  With  one  angry  bellow  he  started  toward 
the  hills.  At  that  moment  Captain  Alsop  rode  rapidly 
into  the  arena  and  would  soon  have  met  the  bull  but  the 
animal  instantly  turned  directly  toward  the  train  and  the 
chase  was  on.  For  about  two  miles  the  boys,  yelling  like 
Cheyenne  Indians,  and  with  hair  flying  in  the  wind, 
pursued  the  monster,  now  and  then  sending  a  bullet  in 
advance  from  their  repeating  rifles.  Though  directed 
somewhat  at  random,  some  of  the  shots  took  effect.  The 
animal's  big  red  tongue,  covered  with  foam,  soon  began  to 
protrude  from  the  mass  of  shaggy  hair,  which  enveloped 
the  bison's  head.  His  speed  slackened,  and  soon  two  of 
the  riders  were  at  his  side.  Here  for  convenience  the  boys 
used  their  Colt's  revolvers.  The  animal  gave  a  desperate 
and  vicious  plunge  at  one  of  the  riders,  fell  upon  his  knees, 
and  rolled  heavily  upon  the  ground.  Prolonged  cheers 
arose  from  the  excited  spectators.  A  few  of  us  ran  out  to 
inspect  the  game  and  congratulate  the  sportsmen.  A 
bullet  from  Ben's  rifle  had  reached  the  animal's  heart,  but 
to  our  surprise  we  found  fragments  of  two  bullets  which 
had  struck  his  head,  but  had  not  penetrated  through  the 
shaggy  mass  of  hair.  Each  bullet  had  separated  into 
fragments  of  lead,  appearing  as  if  melted  by  the  impact 
against  the  cushion  of  hair,  which  was  filled  with  sand. 
When  the  animal  was  turned  upon  his  back,  his  fore  hoofs 
rose  to  a  height  of  more  than  six  feet.  About  four  hundred 
pounds  of  meat  was  cut  (chiefly  from  the  hump,  which  is 
the  choicest  part  of  the  animal)  and  was  taken  in  a  wagon 
to  camp.  Deacon  Cobb  and  Noah  Gillespie  did  not  come 
down  to  greet  the  hunters,  therefore  Ben  and  Fred  prac- 
ticed upon  them  a  bit  of  deception.  They  stained  the 
nostrils  of  their  horses  with  the  fresh  blood  of  the  victim 
of  the  chase,  and  then  the  weary  animals  were  led  to  camp. 


A  SPECTACULAR  BUFFALO  CHASE         261 

which  it  was  necessary  to  pitch  nearby  on  account  of  the 
delay.  Both  tlie  Deacon  and  Noah  were  careful  observers 
of  horses,  and  a  glance  at  the  returning  steeds  revealed 
evidence  of  severe  treatment.  The  blood,  coming  appar- 
ently from  the  nostrils,  was,  however,  something  extra- 
ordinary. Noah  called  our  attention  to  the  proofs  of 
over-driving,  which  he  regarded  as  criminal.  Deacon 
Cobb  was  summoned  and  with  Noah  gave  the  animals  a 
caxeful  inspection.  A  driver  from  the  big  train  was  also 
brought  in  and  the  limbs  of  the  horses  were  examined,  the 
chest  was  tested,  and  the  driver  gave  it  as  his  expert 
opinion  that  some  blood  vessel  had  "busted,"  an  opinion 
in  which  Noah  seemed  to  concur. 

Noah  was  kept  in  ignorance  of  the  deception  practiced, 
and  so  seriously  did  he  regard  the  offense  that  Dan  said, 
"When  Noah  passes  to  the  other  side  he  will  immediately 
ask  to  see  the  books  and  ascertain  how  the  crime  in  question 
had  been  passed  upon  by  the  higher  courts."  Neither 
Fred  nor  Ben  was  ever  disposed  to  be  irreverent,  but  Fred 
added  that  if  Noah  should  ever  be  permitted  to  see  the 
books  he  would  doubtless  find  that  judgment  was  entered 
with  a  full  knowledge  of  the  facts  in  the  case,  a  plan  not 
always  adopted  in  decisions  rendered  on  the  plains. 

Since  lea\nng  the  Missouri  River,  each  daj'  had  seen  us 
at  a  little  higher  altitude  than  that  of  the  preceding  day. 
The  nights  were  chill,  the  cold  being  doubtless  intensified 
somewhat  by  proximity  of  the  sno\\y  range.  A  trapper 
stated  that  it  had  snowed  daily  on  the  East  slope  from  the 
7th  to  the  14th  of  July.  On  the  30th  of  the  month  we 
suddenly  encountered  immense  swarms  of  Rocky  Mountain 
locusts,  with  which  for  two  days  we  were  surrounded. 
All  of  them  were  moving  eastward,  and  many  of  them, 
saiUng  along  blindly,  struck  us  squarely  in  the  face. 


262        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Some  of  the  horses  with  the  train  became  affected  by 
drinking  water  that  was  strongly  impregnated  with  alkah. 
The  remedy  adopted  was  to  force  down  the  animal's 
throat  a  piece  of  fat  bacon;  the  stomach,  becoming  a  sort 
of  chemical  laboratory,  converted  the  bacon  and  alkali 
into  soap,  which  was  considered  less  harmful  than  pure 
soda. 

On  the  night  before  reaching  the  pass,  the  peaks  of  the 
Wind  River  Range  rose  grandly  in  the  northwest.  Their 
dip  is  toward  the  west.  The  eastern  faces  are  abrupt  and 
the  peaks  are  sharp,  appearing  from  the  south  as  if  the 
strata  on  that  slope  had  been  rent  asunder  and  the  edge  to 
the  west  of  the  fissure  had  been  lifted  toward  the  sky, 
leaving  the  ragged  fault  exposed  toward  the  east,  with 
the  surface  sloping  more  gradually  toward  the  west.  A 
magnificent  range,  and  a  most  inspiring  mountain  view  to 
us  camping  in  sight  of  the  pass. 

It  had  been  half  a  century  since  Robert  Stuart  and  his 
party,  in  carrying  despatches  to  John  Jacob  Astor,  dis- 
covered this  pass  after  suffering  great  privations.  From 
the  distance  it  seemed  now  as  bleak  and  desolate  as  it  ever 
could  have  been.  The  night  being  cold  with  a  heavy 
frost,  we  secured  enough  sage  brush  for  a  moderate  camp 
fire.  As  we  were  quietly  warming  ourselves  by  the  flick- 
ering blaze,  a  voice  from  outside  the  circle  broke  in  unex- 
pectedly with  the  words,  "  I  hear'n  your  boy  Fred  say  after 
they  killed  the  buffalo  and  they  were  twittin'  him  about 
bustin'  his  horse's  blood-vessels  that  mebbe  they  wanted 
to  hang  him  before  they  knowed  much  about  it. "  After 
this  introduction  the  speaker  roared  out  with  a  hearty 
laugh. 

"Well,  what  were  you  going  to  say  about  it?"  said  Dan. 

"Well,  I'll  tell  you,"  he  repHed.    "It's  Hke  a  case  down 


A  SPECTACULAR  BUFFALO  CHASE         263 

on  Poison  Spider  Creek.  There  was  some  fellows  down 
there  that  they  thought  were  stealin'  horses.  A  train  was 
coming  along  there  and  the  captain  of  it  lost  two  horses 
and  he  jest  made  up  his  mind  who  got  'em,  and  there 
wasn't  no  guessing  about  it  neither,  so  he  and  his  crowd 
made  up  their  minds  that  they  was  the  law.  They  went 
down  to  the  fellow's  camp  and  before  the  thieves  could  get 
out  their  guns  the  train  men  got  'em  tight  and  run  'em  off 
and  got  'em  up  the  creek  where  there  was  a  tree,  and  hung 
'em  both.  After  awhile  one  of  the  herders  found  the 
horses  off  in  the  hills  and  brought  'em  in  and  they  were 
sure  they  hadn't  been  run  off  by  the  fellows  either.  Then 
they  foimd  that  one  of  the  fellows  had  a  wife  that  they 
hadn't  known  about,  and  that  she  had  heard  that  her  man 
had  been  hung  for  stealing  horses  that  he  hadn't  stole  at 
all,  so  the  captain  who  hung  the  fellows  went  over  to 
where  the  woman  was  to  fix  things  right  with  her  and 
make  her  feel  better.  They  didn't  want  to  do  a  dirty 
trick." 

"You  mean,"  said  Dan,  "that  they  went  to  sympathize 
with  the  widow  and  give  her  consolation." 

"Yes,  that's  it.  And  the  captain  said  to  her,  'Missis, 
it  is  our  mistake,  and  the  joke  is  on  us.'  They  found  the 
woman  couldn't  take  a  joke,  but  she  went  for  her  gun  and 
put  a  bullet  in  the  captain.  Now,  I  thought  that  this 
fellow  that  you  call  Noah  oughtn't  to  kill  these  boys  for 
hurting  the  horses  in  that  chase  until  he  knows  the  horses 
are  hurt.  I  guess  the  joke  is  on  Noah. "  Then  he  laughed 
a  big  "ha!  ha!"  at  the  same  time  punching  a  nearby 
driver  in  the  ribs.  "Noah,  Noah,"  he  pronounced,  in  a 
slow,  drawling  tone  as  he  moved  onward,  "seems  to  me 
I've  heard  of  him  before. " 

"That's  a  good-natured  fellow,"  said  Tom,  as  he  drifted 


264        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

up  toward  the  little  fire,  "and  the  story  he  told  is  pretty 
nearly  true,  but  it  does  not  match  the  experiences  of  Jack 
Slade,  who  managed  the  stage  route  this  side  of  Julesburg. " 

"We  have  heard  so  much  of  Slade, "  said  Ben,  "that  we 
should  like  to  know  more  about  him. " 

"Oh!  everybody  in  this  country  knows  about  Slade. 
There  are  said  to  be  fully  a  hundred  graves  near  Julesburg 
in  which  are  buried  the  worst  characters  in  the  country, 
and  Jack  killed  a  great  many  of  them.  Jules  Reni  for 
whom  Julesburg  was  named,  was  one  of  his  first  victims. 
Reni  was  as  hard  a  character  as  Slade.  The  fact  is  that 
along  this  road  there  have  been  here  and  there  for  several 
years  the  headquarters  of  desperadoes  who  are  worse  than 
the  Indians.  The  story  which  Bob  has  told  you  concern- 
ing the  horse  thief's  wife  reminds  me  of  an  experience  with 
Jack  Slade's  wife.  Jack  had  become  a  terror  to  the 
country,  and  everybody  was  afraid  of  him  because  he  was 
a  quick,  dead  shot,  and  his  revolver  was  his  usual  argument 
in  case  of  any  difference.  A  lot  of  men  finally  laid  for 
Jack  and  decided  to  lynch  him.  Watching  patiently  for 
their  opportunity,  they  caught  him  asleep  and  secured  his 
guns.  Instead  of  stringing  him  up  at  once,  they  locked 
him  up  in  a  log  room  and  stood  guard  around  it  until  they 
could  bring  others  to  participate  in  the  ceremonies.  Jack 
assumed  that  everything  was  all  up  with  him,  so  he  urged 
that  they  send  for  his  ^"ife  that  he  might  see  her  once  more 
and  make  his  dying  confessions.  In  the  goodness  of  their 
hearts  this  one  last  wish  was  granted,  for  they  were  satis- 
fied that  Jack  would  die  game.  He  was  a  bold  and  brave 
though  a  bad  man  in  life,  and  would  surely  be  square  in 
his  last  hour.  The  wife  was  notified  and  coming  quickly, 
mounted  upon  a  fine  horse,  \\'ithout  being  searched  she 
was  admitted  to  the  room  where    Jack  was  confined. 


A  SPECTACULAR  BUFFALO  CHASE         265 

Before  the  door  had  been  closed  she  whipped  out  revolvers 
for  two,  and  defying  the  crowd  the  woman  marched  Slade 
to  the  horse  she  had  brought,  upon  which  both  of  them 
quickly  mounted,  keeping  their  guns  at  all  times  leveled 
with  the  threat  that  the  first  one  of  his  captors  that  moved 
was  a  dead  man.  The  business  was  done  so  quickly  that 
Slade  and  his  helpmate  were  soon  out  of  reach.  The  party 
was  afraid  of  Slade  with  a  gun.  This  occurred  on  the 
Rocky  Ridge  diA'ision  which  you  came  over  and  where 
the  stages  ran  last  year  until  they  were  taken  off  on  account 
of  the  Indian  troubles.  Jack  for  a  time  had  charge  of 
that  run  for  the  Overland.  He  came  from  Clinton  County, 
Illinois. " 

Noah  had  been  poking  the  sage  brush  fire  into  renewed 
life;  then  crossing  his  hands  behind  his  coat  tails  and 
backing  close  to  the  reviving  embers  he  said,  "That  story 
that  Bob  told  a  few  minutes  ago  brings  to  mind  the  re- 
mark which  some  of  us  heard  made  by  one  of  that  gang 
back  on  the  road  who  sold  to  Dan  the  corn,  which  was  to 
be  delivered  to  him  on  arrival  at  Julesburg.  I  guess  some 
of  you  know  that  Dan  isn't  much  afraid  of  anybody,  so 
when  he  found  that  the  rascals  were  tr\'ing  to  swindle  him 
on  the  corn,  Dan,  holding  a  club  in  his  hand  said  to  their 
boss,  'You  are  a  horse  thief  and  a  liar.'  'Well,'  said 
the  fellow,  'may  be  that's  all  right,  but  do  you  know 
anything  against  my  reputation  for  honesty.''  " 

"Our  party  remembers  that  very  well,"  said  Fred. 
"Dan  told  the  truth  and  got  his  corn. " 

A  number  of  incidents  of  border  life  were  related  by  the 
little  fire,  but  the  night  was  cold  and  the  ground  was 
freezing.  Taking  our  army  overcoats  and  blankets,  Paul 
and  I  found  a  protected  spot  and  retired  beneath  the  open 
sky.     If  such  a  brilliant  starlight  night  should  come  but 


266        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

once  in  one's  life,  it  would  thenceforth  be  a  matter  of 
constant  remembrance  as  a  scene  of  beauty  and  grandeur. 
Until  the  morning  sun  shone  in  our  faces,  we  slept  undis- 
turbed. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

The  Parting  of  the  Ways 

THE  picturesque  red-sandstone  cliffs  of  Red 
Buttes  and  the  granite-ribbed  range  of  the 
Sweetwater  Mountains  were  left  behind  us. 
Slowly  our  train  climbed  up  the  gentle  grade  to 
South  Pass.  But  this  thoroughfare  o\'er  the  backbone  of 
the  continent  proved  to  be  a  disappointment,  as  it  failed 
to  present  the  striking  characteristics  of  a  mountain  pass. 
In  one  respect,  at  least,  its  top  is  not  unlike  the  North 
Pole,  for  it  is  admitted  by  Arctic  explorers  (Cook  and  Peary 
of  course,  always  excepted)  that  they  find  it  impossible 
to  locate  the  Boreal  end  of  the  earth  Tsnth  exactness. 
Similarly  the  transient  through  South  Pass  is  unable  to 
determine  watliin  several  miles  where  his  pathway  is 
actually  at  its  highest  point.  An  expansive  though  shal- 
low depression  is  found  where  the  summit  ought  to  be, 
both  east  and  west  of  which,  as  we  follow  the  trail,  lies  a 
broad,  level  plateau,  and  it  would  be  impossible  without 
an  instrument  to  ascertain  which  side  is  the  higher.  On 
both  sides  the  approaches  to  the  Pass  are  verj^  easy  grades, 
each  merging  almost  imperceptibly  into  the  table  land  of 
the  broad  summit.  To  the  south,  along  this  great  divide, 
the  surface  rises  step  by  step  and  many  miles  further 
away  in  the  distance  it  continues  on  in  smoothly  rounded 
mountain  billows.  To  the  north  the  ascent  is  also  gradual, 
until  twenty-five  miles  from  the  trail  there  rises  the  base 

267 


^268        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

of  Atlantic  Peak,  which  is  the  great  southern  spur  of  the 
bold  and  rugged  Wind  River  Range.  From  the  slopes  of 
this  range  issue  the  remotest  tributaries  of  the  Sweetwater 
River,  the  stream  we  had  been  follo^\nng.  We  saw  not 
even  a  rivulet  upon  the  highland  kno^vTi  as  South  Pass, 
the  flow  of  which  would  mark  the  watershed.  Finally  we 
reached  Pacific  Spring,  a  diminutive  fountain  whence  a 
scanty  flow  of  water,  oozing  from  the  mud,  crept  along 
for  a  time  slowly  to  the  westward.  We  then  knew  that  we 
had  crossed  the  great  Continental  Divide.  Here  we 
pitched  our  tent,  and  further  do'^Ti  the  brook  the  other 
outfits  camped.  Although  the  altitude  is  but  seventy-six 
hundred  feet,  the  ground  froze  at  night.  Some  of  the 
snow  from  the  recent  storm,  which  was  said  to  have  lain 
fourteen  inches  in  depth  a  few  days  before,  still  remained 
on  all  the  lands  above  the  pass.  The  country  for  miles 
around  was  bleak  and  destitute  even  of  sage  bush.  From 
a  small  cedar  log  which  we  had  transported  a  long  distance 
to  meet  such  an  emergency,  we  chipped  a  few  splinters  to 
build  our  fire.  Each  member  of  our  party  being  provided 
with  a  soldier's  overcoat,  we  wrapped  ourselves  in  those 
garments  and  were  soon  to  be  found  standing  very  close 
together  around  the  little  blaze.  A  blue  veil  of  smoke 
rose  also  from  similar  fires  at  each  of  the  other  camps, 
bearing  through  the  clear  air  the  sweet  incense  of  burning 
cedar,  which  was  quickly  followed  by  the  appetizing 
fragrance  of  coffee  and  bacon. 

We  were  to  make  a  long  drive  on  the  following  day,  for 
we  had  learned  that  after  leaving  the  Pacific  Spring  no 
water  would  be  found  on  our  course  within  a  distance  of 
twenty-eight  miles.  As  a  start  was  to  be  made  at  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  boys  began  early  to  pull  out 
their  blankets  and  find  a  warm  spot  for  the  night.     But 


>^' 


THE  PARTING  OF  THE  WAYS  269 

where  is  the  man  with  soul  so  dead,  so  devoid  of  all  appre- 
ciation of  nature  when  she  is  in  one  of  her  rarest  moods, 
who  would  not  "^ash  to  watch  a  remarkable  sunset?  The 
sun  was  sinking  behind  the  mountains  of  the  Bear  River 
Range  which,  white  with  the  recent  snows  and  extending 
from  north  to  south,  lay  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
distant  to  the  westward.  Far,  far  away  to  the  south  and 
extending  from  east  to  west,  rose  the  white-topped  Uinta 
Range,  which  south  of  us  seemed  to  merge  into  the  high 
lands  of  the  great  di\ade,  crossed  by  the  pass  and  extending 
westward  until  it  closed  in  with  the  western  range,  forming 
the  base  of  an  immense  triangle  of  mountains,  the  eastern 
side  of  which  was  the  Continental  Divide,  upon  which  we 
stood.  Extending  northward  from  our  camp,  this  dividing 
ridge  rises  gradually  until  it  meets  the  foothills  of  what 
is  now  known  as  Atlantic  Peak,  which  is  the  southern 
buttress  of  the  lofty  Wind  River  Range  and  is  twenty-five 
miles  away.  Continuing  northward,  beyond  two  high 
intervening  summits,  this  range  culminates  in  Fremont 
Peak,  the  monarch  of  that  range,  and,  as  later  surveys 
show,  still  one  hundred  miles  from  our  trail.  The 
apex  of  this  triangle  of  mountains  lies  north  of  Fremont 
Peak,  beyond  which  rise  the  grand  Tetons,  one  of  the 
most  imposing  ranges  in  our  country.  From  the  Tetons 
I  have  also  seen  these  peaks  of  the  Wind  River  Range. 
Within  this  visible  area  of  mountains  lies  the  highest 
watershed  of  North  America,  whence,  from  an  area  of 
fifty  miles  square,  flow  tributaries  to  the  Atlantic,  the 
Pacific,  the  Gulf  of  California,  and  the  Salt  Lake  basin. 

The  triangular  disposition  of  the  mountain  ranges  as 
they  lay  before  us,  at  this  time  outlined  by  their  snow- 
capped summits,  is  not  clearly  shown  upon  the  maps,  but 
of  such  a  form  was  the  impression  made  upon  our  eyes. 


270        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Away  down  below  us  and  between  the  sides  of  that  great 
triangle,  thus  walled  in  by  mountains,  lay  the  broad 
basin  into  which  converge  the  upper  tributaries  of  Green 
River,  a  stream  which  in  turn  breaking  through  the  Uinta 
Range  rushes  southward  to  join  the  Colorado,  and  thence 
onward  through  its  titanic  canyons  to  the  Gulf  of  California. 
And  now,  while  the  western  mountains  were  casting  their 
far-reaching  shadows  across  this  broad  basin  beneath  us, 
the  cold,  snow-mantled  sides  of  the  Wind  River  Range 
were  dazzling  and  glittering  in  the  level  beams  of  the 
setting  sun.  From  our  point  of  xdew  and  at  that  time 
they  were  seen  at  their  best!  It  was  not  like  an  Alpine 
scene,  diversified  by  mountain  lakes,  waterfalls,  and 
picturesque  chalets,  but  it  had  a  suggestion  of  wonderful 
breadth  and  vastness  and  afforded  a  range  of  vision  rarely 
to  be  seen,  except  when  one  looks  upward  to  the  stars; 
but  the  whole  of  that  landscape  of  mountains,  and  the  deep, 
broad  desert  which  they  enveloped,  was  bleak  and  desolate, 
with  never  sign  of  animal  life  nor  trace  of  vegetation 
visible.  Though  to  us  it  was  a  new  country,  everything 
appeared  to  be  old,  as  if  through  countless  ages  it  had 
remained  unchanged.  With  this  impression  stamped  upon 
our  minds,  many  members  of  our  party  wrapped  their 
blankets  round  them  and  slept  under  the  open  sky. 

It  happened  on  that  night,  one  or  two  nights  after  the 
full  of  the  moon,  to  be  my  duty  to  stand  guard  until  mid- 
night. Hence  it  fell  to  my  lot  to  watch  a  dazzling,  winter- 
like sunset  in  midsummer,  which,  because  of  the  prevailing 
whiteness,  imparted  hardly  a  tint  as  the  daylight  faded, 
except  what  was  seen  in  the  star-studded  azure  above. 
After  a  brief  period  of  declining  light  there  was  a  wondrous 
change  when  the  clear,  cold,  and  pearly  moonlight  broke 
over  the  eastern  highlands  and  lighted  up  the  vast,  white, 


THE  PARTING  OF  THE  WAYS  271 

frosty  landscape,  for  the  moon  was  now  in  her  glory  and, 

"  Chaste  as  the  icicle 
That's  curdled  by  the  frost  from  purest  snow, " 

and  thus  in  harmony  with  the  earth  upon  which  she  shone, 
for  the  distant  landscape  was  spotless  white,  and  the  vast 
stretches  of  mountain  ranges  wliich,  along  many  hundreds 
of  miles,  pinnacled  the  distant  horizon  with  towers  and 
minarets,  were  covered  with  crystals  of  frost  and  snow. 

It  was  at  the  break  of  the  coming  day  when  our  little 
outfit  closely  followed  by  Mr.  Warne's  party  rolled  out  in 
advance  of  the  long  train,  and  by  sunrise  we  were  follow- 
ing the  very  gentle  descent  of  the  western  slope,  across 
sandy  and  gravelly  wastes,  which  were  relieved  here  and 
there  by  barren,  flat-topped  clay  buttes,  for  the  sun  had 
done  rapid  work  with  the  snow  in  the  lowlands.  The 
night  found  us  at  Little  Sandy,  an  unruly  stream  six  or 
eight  yards  wide,  wliich  was  doing  its  best  in  an  unceasing 
endeavor  to  make  the  dreary  desert  interesting.  Accord- 
ing to  the  old  Mormon  diaries,  (to  which  reference  has 
already  been  made)  it  was  near  this  ford,  June  28,  1847, 
that  Brigham  Young  and  his  party  first  met  Jim  Bridger. 
Jim  was  a  famous  mountaineer  and  guide,  an  almost  con- 
stant wanderer  through  those  wilds,  and  might  be  en- 
countered at  almost  any  out  of  the  way  place  in  the  Rock- 
ies. On  summing  up  the  meager  records  in  the  diaries, 
and  my  personal  interviews  with  some  of  those  first  pio- 
neers, it  appears  that  Bridger,  with  two  of  his  men,  had 
come  over  from  his  fort  on  their  way  toward  the  Pass 
and  had  struck  this  Oregon  trail,  probably  at  Green  River. 
Fortunately  for  the  Saints  they  met  toward  evening  near 
this  stream.     Learning  that  the  traveler  was  Bridger,  the 


272        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Mormons  prevailed  upon  him  to  camp  with  them  over 
night,  because  he,  above  all  others,  was  the  man  they 
most  desired  then  to  meet,  because  of  his  familiarity  with 
the  Salt  Lake  Valley,  concerning  which  the  Saints  had 
no  definite  knowledge. 

To  reach  Salt  Lake  they  must  soon  leave  the  well  de- 
fined Oregon  trail.  The  remainder  of  their  course  was  to 
be  guided,  if  at  all,  by  the  narrow  trails  of  the  trappers. 
It  was  up  and  down  these  tributaries  of  Green  River  and 
into  the  wilds  of  Pierre's  Hole  and  Jackson's  Hole,  be- 
tween which  lie  the  majestic  Tetons,  that  the  fur  traders 
and  hunters  found  the  most  profitable  game  in  greatest 
abundance.  From  among  the  men  engaged  in  this  pur- 
suit was  organized  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company — 
Jackson,  Green,  Biddle  and  others,  whose  names  are  still 
familiar  in  St.  Louis,  being  interested  in  the  venture. 
In  later  years  LaBarge,  Sarpy,  Picott,  Pratte,  Cabanne 
and  other  St.  Louis  men  entered  the  business.  Many  of 
the  men  occupied  in  these  operations  were  Creoles,  the 
name  applied  to  French  or  Spanish  people  born  in 
America. 

In  memory  of  David  E,  Jackson,  the  magnificent  val- 
ley on  the  east  slope  of  the  Tetons  was  named  Jackson's 
Hole  and  the  beautiful  lake  resting  within  its  bosom  was 
named  Jackson's  Lake.  Thus  in  those  valleys  were 
scattered  several  hundred  pioneers  of  another  type  than 
men  who  have  carried  civilization  into  our  now  older 
territory,  with  possibly  the  exception  of  the  upper  lake 
districts.  Some  of  them  were  French  Canadians  or 
half-breeds,  trained  in  the  service  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company.  A  few  were  expert  marksmen  from  Kentucky, 
and  with  them  were  many  hardy  Missourians,  with  St. 
Louis  men  as  leaders.     In  addition  to  those  turbulent 


THE  PARTING  OF  THE  WAYS  273 

and  apparently  heterogeneous  groups  of  nomadic  pio- 
neers, there  appear  to  have  been  many  independent 
trappers  and  traders,  who  also  were  restrained  by  no  ties 
and  subject  to  no  written  laws.  Although  these  latter 
were  pioneer  explorers  and  accumulated  great  wealth 
for  the  companies  that  employed  them,  they  were  not  the 
men  who  discovered  and  developed  the  resources  of  the 
great  West.  Though  confronted  by  many  perils  and 
hardships,  they  loved  their  vocation  and  the  wild  and 
wandering  life  along  the  mountain  streams.  Their 
passion  for  the  hunt  was  well  expressed  in  the  lines: 
"Give  me  the  lure  of  the  long,  white  trail. 
With  the  wind  blowing  strong  in  my  face  as  I  go; 
Give  me  the  song  of  the  wolf  dog's  wail 
And  the  crunch  of  the  moccasin  in  the  snow." 
Of  this  type  was  Jim  Bridger,  a  hero  and  a  chief  among 
the  mountaineers.  In  the  interview  that  night  on  the 
banks  of  the  Little  Sandy,  surrounded  by  the  exiled 
leaders  of  the  Mormon  Church,  he  directed  the  Mormons 
where  they  should  leave  the  Oregon  trail,  and  then  follow 
chiefly  along  trappers'  paths,  and  through  the  mountain 
canyons  to  Salt  Lake  Valley.  Those  narrow  paths,  as  far 
as  they  should  be  used,  would  be  simply  for  guidance. 
Along  and  beyond  these  they  must  blaze  and  clear  their 
own  roadway  for  wagons,  and  must  ford  many  mountain 
streams. 

"But  tell  us  about  the  valley  itself,"  asked  Brigham 
Young,  after  the  mountaineer  had  outHned  the  most 
practicable  route  to  reach  it. 

"Well,  Mr.  Young,"  replied  Bridger,  "I  wouldn't  go 
into  that  alkali  valley  to  raise  crops.  I'll  give  you  one 
thousand  dollars  for  the  first  ear  of  corn  you  raise  there." 
He  then  proceeded  to  describe  the  desert  which  surrounded 


274        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

the  saline  waters  of  the  lake,  in  which  no  life  could  exist. 
The  substance  of  this  conversation  was  recited  to  me  one 
afternoon  at  Bridger's  home.  At  the  time  it  occurred 
the  Mormons  had  not  learned  that  the  Salt  Lake  coun- 
try had  been  ceded  by  Mexico  to  the  United  States. 

This  interview  between  Bridger  and  the  Mormons  and 
the  subsequent  turning  of  the  Saints  from  the  old  trail, 
as  there  recommended  by  Bridger,  brings  us  to  the  point 
where,  leaving  the  scene  of  that  conference,  a  small  de- 
tachment of  our  party  were  also  soon  to  turn  from  the 
same  trail  and  follow  in  the  tortuous  mountain  paths 
taken  by  the  first  Mormon  emigrants,  as  mapped  out  for 
them  by  Bridger.  Dan  and  Noah  and  also  the  Warne 
family  and  others  who  had  been  our  traveling  companions 
across  hundreds  of  miles  of  desert  and  on  excursions  up 
the  mountains,  were  to  continue  with  the  big  train  on  the 
Oregon  trail.  The  information  that  this  separation 
would  be  made  at  Green  River  crossing,  then  but  a  few 
miles  before  us,  came  to  us  unexpectedly.  We  knew 
nothing  of  those  western  trails  except  those  which  we  had 
already  traversed.  None  of  these  paths  were  shown 
upon  our  maps.  The  recent  days  had  been  gliding  by, 
as  days  sometimes  do  when  brightened  by  the  mystic 
influence  of  congenial  companionship. 

It  is  needless  to  state  that  the  boys  deeply  regretted 
the  necessity  of  so  soon  parting  from  their  old  friends 
Dan  and  Noah,  and  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warne  and  their 
obliging  driver,  Bill  Swope.  In  this  list  we  should  not 
fo'-get  also  to  mention  the  daughters  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Warne,  who,  being  bright,  cultured,  and  refined,  seemed 
like  exotics  in  that  barren  wilderness.  One  evening, 
when  Miss  Margaret  Warne  was  sitting  upon  a  rude  box 
while  others  completed  the  circle  around  a  sage  bush  fire, 


THE  PARTING  OF  THE  WAYS  275 

and  her  soft  voice  was  being  listened  to  with  rapt  at- 
tention, one  of  the  boys  whispered  to  his  neighbor  and 
said,  "That  soap  box  is  now  a  throne,  for  that  girl  upon 
it  is  a  queen."  The  young  man  who  whispered  the  words 
was  dead  in  earnest.  Old  Deacon  Cobb,  who  owned 
many  horses  and  whose  observations  concerning  men  and 
women  were  of  course  made  from  his  own  peculiar  stand- 
point, often  remarked  the  daring,  freedom,  and  grace 
with  which  the  girls  mounted  and  rode  their  horses. 
Dan  had  said  that  they  were  fine  conversers  and  well  in- 
formed on  general  topics.  These  attractive,  winsome 
girls  were  going  into  some  part  of  Montana  that  was  un- 
peopled by  civilized  beings,  where  it  seemed  that  their 
light  and  influence  would  be  wasted,  as  would  the  sparkle 
of  a  gem  in  the  desert  sands.  The  boys  lamented  this 
sacrifice  of  personal  worth.  They  thought  little,  cared 
less,  and  in  fact  did  not  then  know,  as  no  one  then  knew, 
of  the  hundreds  of  emigrants  who  were  to  follow  later  and 
settle  around  the  home  of  this  family  and  receive  from 
it  that  uplift  which,  in  the  establishment  of  a  new  colony, 
one  family  may  exert  upon  the  moral  and  social  life  of  the 
community. 

As  already  indicated,  the  boys  were  hardly  ready  to  say 
good-bye  to  the  young  ladies,  but  it  was  impossible  for 
them  to  present  some  reason  why  they  also  should  see 
Montana. 

It  is  diflScult  for  the  present  day  traveler  to  compre- 
hend the  peculiar  situations  and  emergencies  that  some- 
times confronted  the  western  emigrant  in  the  early  days, 
when  they  were  as  effectually  removed  from  the  re- 
straints, conveniences,  and  conventionalities  of  civilized 
life  as  if  they  had  been  transported  to  an  uninhabited 
island.     An  example  of  such  a  crisis,  even  more  striking 


276        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

than  that  in  which  our  young  men  found  themselves 
when  nearing  that  fork  of  the  roads,  was  related  to  me 
by  a  member  of  a  family  who  shared  in  a  strange  episode, 
which  culminated  at  the  parting  of  the  ways  which  we 
were  soon  to  reach. 

It  was  in  the  summer  of  1849,  when  a  wagon  train  of 
emigrants  captained  by  George  Scofield,  the  head  of  the 
family  last  mentioned,  was  slowly  crawling  over  this 
same  road  on  its  long  way  to  the  newly  discovered  gold 
fields  near  Sacramento.  Among  the  emigrants  who  had 
been  traveling  under  the  protection  of  the  Scofield  outfit 
were  a  few  who  were  bound  for  Oregon.  With  the 
travelers  who  were  destined  for  California  was  a  young 
and  vigorous  farmer  from  one  of  the  Middle  States, 
whose  name  was  Pratt  and  who  was  accompanied  by  his 
wife  and  six  young  children,  the  youngest  being  an  infant 
and  the  oldest  hardly  ten  years  of  age.  Mr.  Pratt,  like 
the  majority  of  the  pioneers,  had  embarked  his  all,  when 
he  started  to  cast  his  fortune  in  what  was  then  an  almost 
unknown  territory.  The  long  line  of  covered  wagons 
crossed  the  IVIississippi  River  and  rolled  out  over  the 
plains.  In  a  few  weeks  the  stock  of  provisions  was 
practically  exhausted.  Many  of  the  horses  were  run 
off  by  the  Indians,  leaving  a  heavy  burden  upon  the 
animals  which  were  left.  While  the  men  were  toiling 
by  day  and  watching  against  the  savages  by  night,  the 
women  also  had  their  work  to  perform  and  their  vigils 
to  maintain,  for  the  children  had  their  weary  hours. 

While  traversing  the  desert,  Mrs.  Pratt  became  a 
helpless  invalid,  and  in  spite  of  her  husband's  efforts  she 
and  the  children  were  suffering  from  neglect.  With  her 
parents,  bound  for  Oregon  and  accompanying  the  train, 
was   Miss   Huldah   Thompson,  a  strong,  kind-hearted, 


THE  PARTING  OF  THE  WAYS  277 

young  woman,  who  became  deeply  interested  in  the  un- 
happy condition  of  Mrs.  Pratt  and  her  children,  and 
with  the  noble  impulses  of  a  Florence  Nightingale,  she 
voluntarily  served  them  to  the  limit  of  her  strength. 

Weeks  passed  by,  and  one  blistering  hot  day,  while  the 
train  was  dragging  along  beyond  the  stream.  Little  Sandy, 
Mrs.  Pratt  died.  The  train  was  ordered  to  halt  while 
men  and  women  held  a  council  near  the  dusty,  covered 
wagon  in  which  lay  the  remains  of  the  young  mother. 
Nothing  could  be  done  except  what  always  had  been 
done  when  one  of  such  a  company  dies,  where  there  is  no 
cemetery  except  the  broad  bosom  of  Mother  Earth  and 
no  person  within  reach  fitted  to  conduct  funeral  rites. 
Therefore,  while  the  train  stood  still,  as  stop  the  engines 
of  the  ocean  steamer  while  the  body  of  the  dead  is  con- 
signed to  the  sea,  the  sympathetic  emigrants  circled 
around  the  hastily  dug  grave  by  the  roadside  in  the 
desert,  while  the  body  from  which  the  spirit  had  taken 
its  flight  hardly  an  hour  before,  was  lowered  into  its 
solitary  tomb. 

Then  again  the  line  moved  slowly  on  the  long  drive 
toward  the  ford  of  the  Big  Sandy,  before  reaching  which 
no  water  would  be  found,  and  there  they  camped. 

Huldah  had  been  a  stranger  to  the  Pratt  family  until 
they  were  brought  together  on  this  pilgrimage  across 
the  plains,  and  now  the  day  after  the  burial,  the  train 
was  expected  to  reach  the  forks  of  the  road  at  Green 
River,  and  Huldah,  with  her  parents  and  other  friends, 
was  to  proceed  on  the  Oregon  trail,  while  Mr.  Pratt  was 
to  continue  under  the  protection  of  Scofield's  train  along 
the  new  Mormon  trail.  Pratt  was  heart-broken.  Huldah 
was  sympathetic  and  helpful  to  the  last  moment. 

A  new  light  began  to  dawn  upon  Pratt,  and  a  new 


278        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

emotion  rose  within  him.  If  anything  was  to  be  done 
in  response  to  this  newborn  inspiration  it  must  be  done 
quickly.  During  the  hours  of  the  only  evening  whose 
shadows  fell  after  the  burial,  and  before  the  expected 
separation,  Pratt  and  Huldah  were  engaged  in  earnest 
converse.  This  brief  courtship  was  concluded  by  sum- 
moning the  Thompson  family  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scofield 
to  a  midnight  conference  on  the  bank  of  the  Big  Sandy. 
The  Thompsons  finally  yielded  to  the  inevitable,  and  the 
definite  approval  of  all  members  of  the  little  party  was 
given  to  the  plans  proposed.  The  morrow  was  to  be  a 
day  of  unusual  activity  with  the  emigrants  because  of 
transfers  of  loads  and  teams  to  be  made  on  dividing  the 
train,  and  hence  the  night  after  the  burial  presented  the 
last  opportunity  to  solve  the  delicate  problem  then  be- 
fore the  little  group  which  had  convened.  It  must  be 
now  and  forever  or  never. 

There  being  no  officer  of  the  law  and  no  clergyman  in 
all  that  broad  wilderness  who  was  authorized  to  perform 
the  marriage  rites,  Huldah  without  further  ado  and  in  the 
presence  of  the  witnesses  there  gathered  at  midnight 
on  the  bank  of  Big  Sandy  River  consented  then  and  there 
to  become  Mrs.  Pratt.  On  the  following  day  the  train 
reached  Green  River,  where  Mrs.  Pratt  bade  adieu  to  her 
father  and  mother  and  proceeded  with  her  husband  on  a 
honeymoon  trip  toward  California,  with  many  months 
of  travel  still  before  her,  along  a  route  where  possibly 
not  even  a  hut  would  be  seen  after  passing  the  new  Mor- 
mon settlement  near  Great  Salt  Lake,  at  which  point 
it  was  hoped  that  supplies  would  be  obtained. 

Although  other  emigrants  who  continued  with  the 
Scofield  train  failed  to  reach  the  Eldorado  of  the  West, 
Pratt  and  his  wife,  Huldah,  with  their  family,  made  the 


THE  PARTING  OF  THE  WAYS  279 

trip  with  safety  and  became  a  part  of  the  remarkable 
civilization  that  characterized  the  early  California 
settlements. 

We  also  had  camped  at  Big  Sandy,  a  stream  varying 
in  volume,  but  now  about  three  feet  in  depth  and  easily 
forded.  A  dozen  Confederate  soldiers,  then  loyally  in 
the  service  of  the  United  States  Government,  were  tem- 
porarily stationed  there,  to  afford  a  nominal  protection 
to  the  few  trains  then  passing  that  way.  In  the  evening, 
Ben,  who  was  fresh  from  his  army  life,  led  the  veterans 
to  recitals  of  many  of  their  recent  experiences  on  southern 
battle-fields.  One  more  day  of  travel  brought  us  to 
Green  River.  The  country  traversed  is  a  barren  clay 
land,  inhospitable,  and  apparently  sterile,  presenting 
hardly  a  blade  of  grass  to  relieve  the  monotony  of  the 
scenery.  The  young  people  who  had  saddle  horses,  car- 
ing little  then  for  scenery,  rode  leisurely  in  advance  of  the 
train  and  planned  somewhat  for  the  future. 

A  rough  looking  old  frontiersman  had  established  a 
ferry  at  Green  River,  which,  in  conjunction  with  trapping 
wolves,  and  selling  whiskey  and  other  necessaries,  enabled 
him  to  earn  a  livelihood.  His  tattered  garments  and  the 
exterior  of  his  hut  and  its  surroundings  left  us  with  the 
impression  that  he  was  not  enjoying  great  prosperity. 
His  charges  for  ferrying  seemed  to  be  somewhat  excessive, 
but  the  stream  being  very  swift  and  the  water  at  points 
being  ten  feet  in  depth,  we  concluded  negotiations  for  the 
portage  and  camped  on  the  further  shore  of  the  river. 

As  it  is  our  purpose  to  describe  some  of  the  movements 
that  led  to  the  development  of  the  West,  we  must  here 
and  there  secure  glimpses  of  the  emigrants  who  under- 
took that  work,  even  though  it  be  through  eyes  other  than 
our  own.     I  find  in  a  diary  written  by  a  member  of  the 


^80        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Mormon  pioneer  train,  that  when  that  party  reached 
Green  River,  to  which  we  have  just  referred,  the  com- 
pany was  there  met  by  one  Samuel  Brannan  who,  with 
other  Mormons,  had  sailed  round  Cape  Horn  to  Yerba 
Buena  (now  San  Francisco)  intending  to  establish  a 
colony  on  San  Joaquin  River.  Knowing  of  the  proposed 
emigration  of  the  Saints,  he  started  eastward  with  two 
companions,  hoping  to  meet  Young  and  his  party.  The 
diary  states  that  on  his  course  Brannan  and  his  party 
passed  a  camping  ground  where  nearly  fifty  emigrants 
had  perished  from  storm  and  famine,  there  being  but 
one  survivor,  a  German,  who  had  subsisted  several  weeks 
on  human  flesh. 

We  return  now  to  our  night  near  the  banks  of  the 
Green  River.  As  it  was  my  watch  from  midnight  and 
we  were  to  roll  out  at  daybreak,  I  retired  early  with  a 
few  words  of  farewell  to  those  from  whom  we  were  to 
separate,  leaving  others  to  enjoy  the  later  hours,  as  part- 
ing friends  are  apt  to  do.  It  may  be  stated  now  that 
some  of  the  boys  later  made  a  visit  to  Montana,  but  for  a 
time  this  thread  in  our  story  is  broken.  It  was  in  the 
gray  light  of  the  morning  that  each  member  of  our  party 
was  roused  to  his  respective  service.  The  teams  were 
rushed  in  while  the  breakfast  was  being  prepared,  and  at 
sunrise  all  were  off  for  the  still  further  West.  The  main 
train  turned  to  the  right,  and  our  party  to  the  left. 
After  a  mile  or  more  of  travel  we  halted  upon  a  hilltop, 
before  descending  out  of  sight,  and  from  the  distance  we 
heard  the  last  shouts  of  good-bye  from  the  other  train, 
accompanied  by  waving  of  hats  and  handerchiefs,  after 
which  our  now  very  small  party  moved  on  alone. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

The  Banditti  of  Ham's  Fork 

BEFORE  our  little  outfit  rolled  out  from  Ne- 
braska City,  Captain  Whitmore  gave  us  many 
suggestions  concerning  our  route,  and  instruc- 
tions as  to  where  long  drives  must  be  made  along 
which  no  water  would  be  found.  Among  other  words  of 
warning  he  said,  with  some  earnestness,  "Now,  boys,  if  you 
take  the  South  Pass  route  keep  a  close  watch  when  near 
Ham's  Fork.  I  lost  some  stock  there  and  am  confident 
that  it  was  stolen,  for  I  have  learned  that  a  gang  of  thieves 
and  outlaws  are  located  near  that  crossing. "  Now  it  hap- 
pened that  early  in  the  afternoon  of  the  4th  of  August, 
while  riding  in  advance  of  our  train  in  search  of  a  suitable 
place  to  camp  for  the  night,  I  descended  to  a  very  large  and 
rapidly  flowing  stream,  thirty  or  forty  feet  in  width  and 
about  two  feet  in  depth.  I  forded,  and  located  a  very  sat- 
isfactory camping  place  near  the  west  bank.  Having  sig- 
naled our  approaching  drivers  to  cross  the  little  river  and 
camp  at  a  point  indicated,  I  rode  upstream  along  the  banks 
for  further  reconnoitering. 

On  reaching  the  crest  of  a  low  ridge  there  came  into  view 
in  the  distance  to  the  left  some  outline  of  what  proved  later 
to  be  a  solitary  good-sized  log  cabin,  situated  in  a  seques- 
tered valley.  After  traversing  the  last  few  hundred  miles 
of  our  course,  along  which  we  had  discovered  only  the  few 

281 


282        THE  AVYAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

huts  to  which  reference  has  already  been  made,  this  hospit- 
able looking  cabin  seemed  wonderfully  attractive.  Led  on 
by  curiosity  I  turned  directly  to  the  building  and  soon  ob- 
served a  tall,  athletic  figure  standing  erect  in  the  open  door. 
It  proved  to  be  a  swarthy,  black-haired  man,  attired  in  a 
red  flannel  shirt  and  leather  breeches,  the  bottoms  of  which 
were  tucked  into  his  long  topped  boots.  Having  a  revol- 
ver strapped  to  his  waist,  he  was  equipped  to  fit  well  the 
rude  setting  in  which  he  was  placed.  I  addressed  the 
stranger  wdth  a  " Hello, "  as  I  assumed  to  pass  by.  "Hello, 
where  in  h — 1  are  you  bound  for. '^  Ain't  you  lost.'*"  was 
his  cheerful  greeting.  This  rough  form  of  salutation,  then 
so  common  among  frontiersmen  in  the  West,  may  read  in 
print  as  if  it  implied  the  speaker's  familiarity  with  the 
nether  regions  to  which  he  referred,  and  that  my  course  led 
to  some  department  of  the  Devil's  domain.  In  manner 
the  greeting  was  thoroughly  cordial,  and  the  words  that 
conveyed  it  had  no  more  significance  than  the  conventional 
"How  do  you  do.'*"  to  which  no  specific  reply  is  expected. 
The  greeting  led  me  to  turn  my  horse  near  to  the  door  and, 
having  been  riding  for  several  hours,  I  dismounted  and 
threw  the  bridle  reins  over  a  post.  An  invitation  to  come 
in  and  sit  down  was  accepted,  for  I  felt  a  desire  to  see  the 
interior  of  a  cabin  that  was  so  remarkably  situated,  for  it 
was  not  a  location  that  a  trader  or  trapper  would  naturally 
select.  My  reply  concerning  the  object  of  my  ride  was 
reasonably  frank  and  apparently  satisfactory.  Imme- 
diately after  my  entrance  to  the  cabin  three  men,  also  wear- 
ing leather  breeches,  straggled  in  from  another  room,  and 
in  time  there  was  a  larger  gathering  than  I  had  hoped  to 
meet.  Some  members  of  the  party  took  a  half-reclining 
position  on  bunks  built  along  the  sides  of  the  room,  others 
straddled  rough  wooden  chairs,  a  number  of  which,  when  I 


THE  BANDITTI  OF  HAM'S  FORK  283 

entered,  surrounded  a  table  on  which  lay  a  pack  of  cards. 
The  man  who  first  addressed  me  continued  the  conversa- 
tion during  which,  while  facing  me,  he  stood  with  feet  some- 
what apart  and  his  hands  thrust  deep  into  his  trousers' 
pockets.  The  sombre  effect  of  his  heavy  black  mustache, 
stubby  beard,  and  swarthy  complexion  was  somewhat 
relieved  by  the  good-natured  manner  in  which  he  con- 
versed, and  by  his  cordial  request  that  I  join  with  him  in 
a  drink  from  a  black  bottle  that  he  took  from  a  cupboard, 
an  invitation  which  was  interpreted  as  being  an  evidence 
of  his  benevolent  impulses.  The  black-haired  man  seemed 
to  be  astounded  when  I  declined  to  drink  his  good 
whiskey.  The  fact  that  my  newly-found  friend  and  some 
of  his  companions  carried  revolvers  in  their  belts  signified 
but  little,  because  even  I,  a  peaceful  traveler,  had  carried 
my  rifle,  as  was  our  usual  custom  where  there  was  any 
hope  of  finding  game. 

"  What  kind  of  a  gun  have  you  got?  "  asked  the  ranch- 
er, as  he  stopped  and  took  it  from  my  hands. 

"It's  a  Henry. "  The  men  gathered  around  and  one  by 
one  carefully  examined  the  rifle. 

"Sixteen  shooters,  ain't  they.?"  asked  one. 

"Yes,  32  calibre." 

While  the  weapon  was  commanding  the  imdivided  at- 
tention of  the  men  in  the  room,  an  occasion  was  afforded 
me  to  take  a  more  careful  survey  of  the  furnishings,  among 
which  were  a  few  guns,  saddles,  and  other  trappings  for 
horsemen. 

I  was  what  might  properly  be  termed,  in  the  parlance  of 
the  country,  an  innocent  tenderfoot,  and  yet  an  innocent 
on  observing  the  interior  of  a  home  cannot  fail  to  form  some 
impressions  concerning  the  type  of  people  who  occupy  it. 

"This  stream  off  here  is  a  branch  of  Green  River,  is  it 


284        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

not?"  I  propounded  the  question  partly  to  get  my  bear- 
ings and  partly  to  hasten  the  examination  of  the  rifle. 

"Yes,"  replied  one,  without  raising  his  eyes  from  the 
gun,  "it's  Ham's  Fork,^ — but  does  this  gun  throw  the 
spent  cartridge  all  right  when  the  hammer  comes  up?" 

"Yes,  it  works  all  right.  Is  there  much  game  along  the 
stream?" 

"Wa'al,  there's  right  smart  of  game  round  here  some- 
times, " — which  response  was  a  shibboleth  that  betrayed 
the  speaker  as  having  come  from  Indiana.  Something,  for 
the  first  time  since  we  left  the  Missouri  River,  brought  to 
my  mind  the  spirit  of  Whitmore's  admonition,  "Beware 
of  Ham's  Fork." 

I  had  already  lingered  longer  than  I  had  intended  to  do, 
for  I  wished  to  find  a  spot  where  our  horses  could  be  pas- 
tured for  the  night.  I  accordingly  told  the  man  that  my 
party  was  doubtless  already  encamped  near  the  ford,  and  I 
must  return  to  supper.  After  returning  the  rifle,  all  the 
men  walked  with  me  to  my  horse,  and  as  I  mounted  ex- 
pressed wishes  for  my  good  luck,  and  other  favorable  con- 
ditions too  numerous  to  recall.  I  slowly  traveled  up  the 
gentle  ascent,  taking  a  view  from  time  to  time  of  the  gen- 
eral surroundings.  On  reaching  the  camp  I  reported  my 
observations  to  the  boys  and  reminded  them  of  Captain 
Whitmore's  experience  and  advice. 

Instead  of  seeking  a  remote  place  for  pasturing  our  horses 
we  picketed  them  \\'ithin  sight  of  the  camp  and  main- 
tained an  extra  guard  during  the  night. 

It  is  possible  that  no  reference  would  have  been  made 
herein  to  the  unimportant  episode  in  this  interesting  cabin, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  experience  that  befell  Whitniore  and 
his  men  with  our  ox  train,  which  followed  us  over  this  road 
some  weeks  later. 


THE  BANDITTI  OF  HAM'S  FORK  285 

As  stated  by  the  Captain  and  some  of  his  men,  they  ar- 
rived at  Ham's  Fork,  crossing  late  in  the  day  after  a  diffi- 
cult drive.  Their  stock,  consisting  chiefly  of  oxen,  were 
driven  off  to  a  range  some  distance  from  the  camp,  to  feed 
for  the  night.  In  the  early  morning  the  herders  reported 
to  the  Captain  that  eight  oxen  were  missing  and  that  they 
had  been  unable  to  track  them  in  any  direction.  Whit- 
more  at  once  suspected  the  cause  of  the  trouble.  After 
sending  out  scouts  for  two  or  three  miles  in  various  direc- 
tions on  horseback  in  search  of  the  lost  stock,  he  himself 
made  some  survey  of  the  country  upstream.  The  men 
returned  and  reported  that  the  stock  was  not  found.  This 
was  all  accomplished  before  eight  o'clock.  At  about  that 
time  Whitmore  called  his  men  close  around  him,  gave  his 
opinion  of  the  situation,  and  asked  them  if,  in  view  of  all 
the  circumstances,  they  were  ready  for  a  fight.  The  fact 
was  that  every  man  was  anxious  for  some  excitement.  Of 
the  forty  odd  men  in  the  outfit  more  than  one  half  of  them 
had  seen  active  service  in  the  Civil  War  just  ended,  and 
there  was  a  good  rifle  for  nearly  every  man.  No  better, 
braver,  or  more  vigorous  body  of  men  could  easily  be  found. 

"All  right,"  said  Whitmore,  "I'm  going  to  get  those 
oxen  before  I  leave  Ham's  Fork.  I  am  going  to  take  one 
man  with  me  over  to  the  ranch  beyond  the  hill  yonder.  I 
want  all  of  you  to  get  your  guns  and  lie  down  out  of  sight 
on  this  side  of  a  slope  which  lies  off  north,  and  where  two  or 
three  of  you  can,  at  all  times,  see  me.  Now,  you  see  this 
old,  red  silk  handkerchief.  If  I  should  pull  that  out,  it 
would  be  a  signal  that  I  want  every  one  of  you  to  come 
down  in  a  rush  with  your  guns  and  surround  that  d — d  den 
over  there,  and  I'll  boss  the  job  when  you  get  there.  And 
if  it's  a  fight  shoot  to  kill,  l:>ecause  I  know  they  are  a  hard 
crowd.     I've  heard  of  'em  before  now. " 


286        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

These  brief  instructions  seemed  to  be  well  understood. 
Whitmore  had  selected  his  companion,  a  strong,  cool, 
hardy  young  man,  who  had  served  in  the  Iron  Brigade  dur- 
ing the  war,  and  the  two,  without  rifles,  but  with  pistols  at 
their  sides,  started  on  foot  for  the  ranch.  Before  they 
reached  its  open  door  the  men  connected  with  the  train 
were  lying  concealed  along  and  near  the  crest  of  the  ridge 
ready  for  service.  The  two  were  met  at  the  door  of  the 
ranch  by  two  or  three  of  the  occupants  of  the  cabin. 
WTiereupon,  Whitmore,  T^nthout  any  circumlocution,  said 
to  them,  "I  want  my  oxen."  The  reply,  as  might  have 
been  expected,  was  embodied  in  a  few  vigorous  curses,  and 
the  question,  "What  the  h— I  have  we  got  to  do  with  your 
oxen.'' "  Whitmore  was  a  man  who  had  seen  much  of  west- 
em  life  and  in  emergencies  had  command  of  a  vigorous 
vocabulary  in  common  use  in  that  country.  He  also  knew 
that  the  men  whom  he  was  now  confronting  were  part  of 
a  band  of  the  banditti  of  the  plains,  who  were  likely  to  kill 
on  the  slightest  provocation.  He  was  also  conscious  that 
the  least  evidence  of  timidity  would  render  his  mission 
fruitless,  if  not  fatal.  He  accordingly  and  in  very  em- 
phatic language  informed  his  auditors  that  they  must 
promptly  deliver  to  him  the  missing  stock.  This  announce- 
ment brought  to  the  front  a  number  of  tough-looking  men, 
who  emerged  from  an  adjoining  room  attracted  by  the 
pointed  conversation  at  the  front  of  the  ranch,  and  all  were 
apparently  enraged  because  of  Whitmore's  assertion  that 
they  were  thieves.  Thus  far  the  interview  had  been  simply 
a  war  of  words,  but  now  the  ranchers  declared  that  they 
would  kill  him  instanter  if  the  demand  should  be  repeated. 
At  that  point  \Miitmore  had  occasion  to  wipe  the  perspi- 
ration from  his  brow,  which  he  did  with  his  big  red  hand- 
kerchief, which  he  flourished  as  he  stood  near  the  door. 


THE  BANDITTI  OF  HAM'S  FORK  287 

This  was  the  agreed  signal,  and  forty  men,  armed  with 
rifles,  suddenly  came  rushing  down  the  slope,  completely 
surrounding  the  ranch.  The  demonstration  was  undoubt- 
edly a  surprise  to  the  gang  of  the  cabin.  Whitmore  hardly 
moved  from  his  tracks,  but  quietly  said,  "I  have  just  one 
more  word  to  say  to  you  fellows.  We  mean  business. 
Two  of  you  men  may  go  outside  of  our  lines  to  get  my 
oxen.  You  may  tell  me  which  men  you  wish  to  have 
to  go.  If  another  man  attempts  to  leave  he  wdll  be  shot. 
If  those  oxen  are  not  delivered  here  by  six  o'clock  tonight, 

we'll   blow  your  d — d  old    ranch    to the    infernal 

regions.  I  know  you  fellows  from  away  back.  Now  how 
does  that  strike  you.'^"  The  declaration  was  duly 
emphasized  with  appropriate  epithets,  such  as  are  sup- 
posed to  add  force  and  lucidity  to  such  a  statement,  as 
legal  terms  often  do  in  arguments  made  in  courts  of  justice. 

Some  explosions  of  bluff  and  braggadocio  from  the 
ranchers  followed  Whitmore's  announcement,  until  one  of 
the  gang,  who  had  been  engaged  in  a  private  conversation 
with  another  inside  the  ranch,  came  out  and  said  with  more 
calmness,  "Now  your  oxen  have  probably  strayed  off,  and 
if  you  wouldn't  make  such  a  d— d  fuss  about  it,  mebbe  we 
might  help  you  find  'em.  We  know  the  ranges  pretty  well, 
but  we  won't  stand  any  of  your  insinuations."  Whit- 
more cast  a  glance  at  his  men,  who  all  appeared  to  be  per- 
fectly serene.  Their  Henry  repeating  rifles,  recognizable 
by  their  bright  brass  mountings,  were  in  hand  ready  for 
business. 

"As  I  said  a  minute  ago,"  continued  WTiitmore,  "all  I 
ask  of  you  is  that  you  get  the  oxen,  and  you  have  got  to  get 
'em  d — d  quick,  and  the  quicker  you  get  'em  the  better  for 


288        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

you.  I'll  give  you  just  about  five  minutes  to  settle  what 
you  will  do,  but  mind  you,  onlj^  two  men  can  pass  our  lines 
without  a  fight." 

Now  this  was  one  method  for  securing  justice,  practic- 
able only  under  peculiar  circumstances.  There  were  no 
courts,  no  constables,  and  the  practice  of  bluff  was  some- 
times worked  to  the  limit.  Sometimes  the  bluff  would  fail 
and  often  a  desperate  fight  would  follow. 

"Well,  pard, "  said  one  of  the  leaders,  after  a  private 
parley  with  some  members  of  his  party,  "we  ain't  here  to 
hunt  other  people's  stock,  and  we  ain't  afraid  of  nobody, 
but  mebbe  there  is  some  misunderstanding  about  this  thing 
and  we  are  willin'  to  see  if  we  can't  find  your  oxen.  Now, 
what  do  they  look  like.' "  "  You  bring  me  eight  good  oxen," 
replied  Hill,  "  and  I  reckon  they'll  be  mine. " 

In  a  little  time  two  men,  wearing  leather  breeches,  might 
have  been  seen  riding  northward  and  disappearing  in  the 
distance.  At  the  same  time  the  men  from  the  train  fell 
back  to  a  respectful  distance,  many  resting  upon  the 
ground  prepared  for  a  protracted  vigil.  In  about  three 
hours  the  riders  returned,  driving  all  the  missing  stock  be- 
fore them.  The  battle  was  declared  off,  and  after  lunch 
the  train  promptly  pulled  out  for  Green  River. 

Having  seen  the  old  rendez'vous  of  Jean  Lafitte,  the 
dreaded  pirate  of  the  Gulf,  situated  far  back  near  the 
swampy  shore  and  protected  in  the  rear  by  impenetrable 
canebrakes,  also  the  bolder  structure  said  to  have  been  the 
castle  of  Gilles  de  Rais,  the  French  Buccaneer  in  the  Danish 
Islands,  in  the  light  that  history  and  romance  have  thrown 
round  them,  I  have  endeavored  in  imagination  to  repeople 
them  with  the  characters,  both  men  and  women,  who  once 
inhabited  those  now  deserted  strongholds,  yet  I  have  never 
pictured  a  band  that  would  more  perfectly  suit  that  service 


THE  BANDITTI  OF  HAM'S  FORK  289 

nor  have  I  ever  seen  a  body  of  men  who  in  manner  and 
appearance  were  more  perfectly  adapted  to  such  a  voca- 
tion than  the  gang  who  infested  the  cabin  at  Ham's  Fork. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

Through  the  Wasatch  Mountains 

FRED,  who  one  afternoon  had  been  riding  in  ad- 
vance, was  observed  toward  the  close  of  the  day 
waving  his  old  hat  and  shouting,  "Hurrah, 
here  is  water!"  We  had  been  traveling  many 
hours  across  a  desolate,  barren  country  that  lay  silent  and 
apparently  lifeless  beneath  a  bright  sun,  and  the  announce- 
ment that  water  was  in  sight  was  received  with  great  satis- 
faction. We  soon  descended  toward  a  swift-running 
stream,  along  which  there  strolled  a  solitary  man,  the  only 
person  we  had  seen  during  the  day.  He  paused  at  the  ford, 
awaiting  our  arrival. 

"What  stream  is  this?"  we  asked  the  stranger. 

"Smith  Fork,"  was  the  reply. 

"This  appears  to  be  a  good  place  to  camp,"  remarked 
Fred. 

"You'll  go  a  long  way  before  you  find  another, "  said  the 
stranger  as  he  drew  nigh  to  our  horsemen. 

"Do  you  live  in  these  parts?" 

"  Yes,  I  have  a  ranch  down  below  here,  and  I'd  like  to 
have  you  come  and  see  me. " 

We  promised  to  respond  to  his  invitation,  as  soon  as  our 
stock  could  be  properly  picketed  on  the  range.  An  hour 
later  Ben,  Fred,  and  I  sauntered  down  the  stream  and  were 
soon  at  the  door  of  a  good-sized  cabin,  in  which  stood  our 

290 


THROUGH  THE  WASATCH  MOUNTAINS    291 

new  acquaintance  ready  to  receive  us.  He  was  a  strong, 
fine-looking  fellow,  wdth  a  genial  face,  and  he  welcomed  us 
most  cordially.  The  room  into  which  we  were  immediate- 
ly ushered,  although  simple  in  its  appointments,  as  was  to 
be  expected  in  the  cabin  of  a  frontiersman  in  such  a  wilder- 
ness, nevertheless  had  an  air  of  comfort.  The  attractive 
arrangement  of  various  little  articles  indicated  that 
woman  was  the  presiding  genius;  for  there  is  an  indescrib- 
able something  that  is  imparted  even  to  the  rudest  cabin 
by  a  woman's  hands. 

In  a  short  time  a  young  lady  of  engaging  appearance  en- 
tered the  room,  whom  our  host  introduced  to  us  as  his  wife, 
Clara.  The  boys  all  rose  instantly  to  take  the  hand  of  this 
Queen  of  the  valley  of  Smith  Fork.  When  we  resumed  our 
seats,  the  rancher  asked  the  usual  questions  concerning 
our  destination.  Learning  in  addition  to  other  facts  that 
one  of  our  party,  Paul  Beemer,  had  with  him  in  his  wagon 
a  stock  of  jewelry  which  he  was  taking  West  to  sell,  the 
mountaineer  requested  that  some  of  the  articles  be  brought 
over  to  the  cabin,  so  that  the  women  might  see  them. 

All  is  not  gold  that  glitters,  and  this  was  true  of  the 
treasures  that  Paul  possessed,  which  had  been  packed  away 
in  attractive  packages  in  his  wagon.  He  was  perfectly 
willing  to  present  for  inspection  a  few  choice  samples, 
which  he  believed  would  interest  the  ladies  of  Smith  Fork, 
whoever  they  might  be.  The  society  of  that  entire  valley 
as  far  as  we  could  learn,  was  centered  in  this  one  cabin, 
but  we  knew  nothing  of  the  character  of  the  household. 

In  response  to  the  rancher's  request,  Paul  soon  appeared 
bearing  a  few  packages  containing  his  choicest  jewels, 
which  were  soon  opened  upon  a  table  in  the  room  where  we 
had  been  received. 

In  anticipation  of  the  pleasure  in  store  for  them,  two 


292        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

other  young  women  soon  came  rushing  into  the  room  in 
high  glee.  To  our  surprise,  these  also  were  introduced  as 
wives  of  the  host. 

They  were  all  certainly  very  attractive  in  personal  ap- 
pearance, and  none  of  the  three  seemed  to  be  more  than 
twenty-three  years  of  age.  The  husband  was  a  compara- 
tively young  man. 

"With  such  a  fine  family  we  may  safely  conclude  that 
you  are  a  Mormon,"  said  Ben. 

"You  are  correct, "  replied  the  rancher.  "We  are  of  the 
church  of  Latter  Day  Saints,  and  I  think  I  have  a  fine  fam- 

iiy-" 

This  sentiment  met  our  cordial  endorsement.  Being 
thus  introduced  for  the  first  time  into  a  Mormon  home,  and 
having  read  much  concerning  the  doctrines  and  practices 
of  this  people,  I  was  very  curious,  as  other  persons  have 
been,  to  observe  something  of  their  religious  life  and  the 
manner  in  which  their  complex  domestic  affairs  are  man- 
aged. In  later  years  I  have  been  received  in  many  Mo- 
hammedan homes  in  Turkey  and  other  parts  of  the  Orient, 
but  among  those  people,  as  is  well  known,  the  women  of 
the  household  are  required  to  retire  from  the  room  before 
a  guest  may  enter,  however  intimate  that  guest  may  be 
with  the  host.  These  young  women  of  Utah  were  appar- 
ently as  free  to  converse  with  guests  as  would  be  the  wife 
of  an  Illinois  farmer.  They  were  also  refined  and  modest 
in  deportment. 

As  soon  as  Paul  had  spread  out  upon  the  table  several 
trays  of  his  most  attractive  jewelry,  imported  as  I  be- 
lieved from  Connecticut,  the  ladies  proceeded  to  examine 
the  articles.  There  were  so-called  amethyst  pins  and  ear- 
rings, the  jewels  of  which  were  of  an  excellent  quality  of 
exquisitely  colored  glass,  and  necklaces  that  might  please 


THROUGH  THE  WASATCH  MOUNTAINS    293 

a  queen,  if  she  did  not  know  how  little  they  cost.  The 
young  women  were  delighted,  and  when  one  of  them  espied 
a  pin  that  had  the  appearance  of  an  emerald  set  with  dia- 
monds she  made  a  dive  for  it  and,  holding  it  to  her  neck, 
asked  the  husband,  in  whom  she  had  a  one-third  interest, 
if  it  was  not  beautiful.  He  seemed  favorably  impressed 
with  the  combination,  and  asked  the  price  of  the  treasure. 
It  was  a  good  opportunity  for  Paul  to  ask  about  nine  thous  - 
and  dollars,  but  he  was  square,  and  informed  the  admiring 
husband  that  as  he,  Paul,  was  not  regularly  in  business 
he  would  make  the  price  to  him  ten  dollars,  because  he 
was  anxious  to  realize  on  a  few  articles  and  ready  to  make 
a  sacrifice  to  obtain  a  little  money.  The  pin  was  imme- 
diately presented  to  the  young  wife  by  the  husband,  who 
said  that  the  other  girls  must  have  something  equally  fine. 
It  will  be  readily  understood  that  in  a  home  with  three 
young  wives,  the  principle  of  the  square  deal  must  be  fun- 
damental, otherwise  there  will  be  jealousies  and  heart- 
burnings. 

The  Mormon  rancher  stood  a  little  distance  back  from 
the  enthusiastic  group  in  the  Smith  Fork  cabin,  and  with 
a  broad  smile  upon  his  face  watched  his  wives  while  they 
reveled  freely  in  the  assortment  of  cheap  jewelry .  Paul  did 
not  hand  the  treasures  out  article  by  article  with  the  watch- 
ful care  that  is  practiced  by  the  trained  diamond  salesmen 
in  the  great  New  York  shops,  but  allowed  free  access  to  his 
goods.  When  the  young  women  had  satisfied  their  hearts' 
desire,  the  husband  was  apparently  the  happiest  person  in 
the  group  and  promptly  paid  cash  for  the  articles  selected. 
Thus  the  lord  of  this  frontier  manor  with  a  free  and  easy 
air  scanned  with  an  eye  to  equity  the  articles  with  which 
his  several  wives  were  adorning  themselves  and  (as  we  be- 
lieved) was  conscious  of  the  fact  that  there  would  be  an 


294        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

hereafter,  in  ease  one  of  them  should  beheve  herself  to  be 
the  subject  of  unfavorable  discrimination. 

Our  visit  to  this  new  Mormon  home  far  out  in  the  moun- 
tains became  the  subject  of  much  discussion  in  the  evening, 
and  in  fact  made  a  lasting  impression  on  us.  What  were 
to  be  the  experiences  of  this  family  as  the  months  should 
go  by,  and  the  responsibilities  of  later  years  should  rest 
upon  the  father  and  mothers?  Could  the  husband  under 
this  system  religiously  preserve  the  principle  of  the  square 
deal,  and  not  find  among  the  three  who  were  pledged  to 
share  his  joys  and  sorrows  one  who,  because  of  some  pecu- 
liar attraction,  should  become  a  favorite,  and  for  that  cause 
rouse  the  green-eyed  monster  in  the  breasts  of  her  sisters? 
Would  they  all  welcome  the  fourth  wife,  if  another  should 
be  escorted  to  the  door? 

On  the  morning  after  our  arrival  at  Smith  Fork  I  was 
called  at  12.30  a.  m.,  it  being  my  duty  that  morning  to 
stand  guard  until  the  breakfast  hour,  which  was  to  be  at 
daybreak.  We  soon  discovered  that  our  course  had  led 
us  to  the  thoroughfare  pursued  by  the  Holliday  mail  coach- 
es. The  trail  was  stony,  and  many  steep  hills  were  as- 
cended and  descended.  At  noon  we  reached  Fort  Bridger, 
established  by  James  Bridger,  to  whom  Bancroft  and  other 
high  authorities  have  accorded  the  honor  of  the  first  dis- 
covery of  Great  Salt  Lake,  whose  waters  he  reached  when 
in  the  service  of  Henry  and  Ashley  of  the  Rocky  Mountain 
Fur  Company.  Bancroft  also  states  that  Franciscan  friars, 
who  explored  in  the  southern  country,  had  evidently  learned 
of  this  lake  through  the  Yutah  Indians  inhabiting  that  re- 
gion. 

Fort  Bridger  was  beautifully  situated  near  one  of  the 
tributaries  of  Black  Fork,  124  miles  northeast  of  Salt  Lake, 
at  an  elevation  of  about  seven  thousand  feet  above  the  sea. 


THROUGH  THE  WASATCH  MOUNTAINS     295 

Some  incidents  in  the  history  of  this  Fort  in  its  relation  to 
the  Mormons,  as  given  to  me  personally,  may  be  more 
properly  mentioned  in  another  chapter.  At  Fort  Bridger 
we  found  many  Snake  and  Bannock  Indians,  who  were 
then  at  peace  with  all  the  world,  except  the  Sioux,  It  was 
reported  that  three  thousand  Snakes  had  left  this  post  the 
week  preceding  our  arrival. 

The  scenery  between  Fort  Bridger  and  the  entrance  to 
Salt  Lake  valley,  as  observed  from  our  pathway,  is  grand 
and  interesting.  Having  passed  over  the  divide  and 
thence  down  to  the  swift  waters  of  Bear  River,  we  again 
ascended  to  another  summit  and  thence  into  the  upper  en- 
trance to  Echo  Canyon,  a  wild  gorge  hemmed  in  by  sand- 
stone cliffs.  Toward  the  close  of  the  day  we  overtook  a 
Mormon  farmer  having  a  wagonload  of  garden  truck  and 
other  produce.  We  had  not  tasted  a  fresh  vegetable  since 
leaving  Nebraska  City  in  May,  and  it  was  now  the  eighth 
of  August.  We  were  in  a  frame  of  mind  similar  to  that  of 
the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  of  Sin,  when  they  sighed 
for  the  good  things  back  in  Egypt.  Paul  was  delegated  to 
interview  the  farmer  in  a  diplomatic  manner  and  if  possible 
negotiate  for  something  to  eat,  but  under  no  circumstances 
to  divulge  the  fact  that  we  were  famishing  for  a  change  of 
diet,  which  if  known  might  cause  the  farmer  to  establish 
high  prices,  for  he  certainly  had  an  effective  corner  on  the 
green  goods  market.  Paul  reported  that  the  best  prices 
he  could  obtain  were  six  bits,  or  seventy-five  cents,  per 
pound  for  butter;  eight  cents  per  pound  for  potatoes;  ten 
cents  for  onions, 

"  Did  he  say  six  bits?  "  asked  Uncle  Simeon  Cobb. 

"He  did,"  replied  Paul. 

"Then  he  is  from  Missouri,"  continued  the  deacon. 

The   order  finally   was   to   buy   potatoes   and   onions. 


296        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

"They  are  a  good  buy,"  said  the  deacon,  whereupon  we 
instantly  went  into  camp.  In  fact,  it  was  near  the  close 
of  the  day,  and  the  clear,  bright  waters  of  Echo  Creek  rush- 
ing down  the  narrow  gorge,  and  the  little  patches  of  grass  on 
which  our  horses  might  revel,  presented  every  inducement 
needed  for  pitching  our  tent,  but  the  supreme  reason  was 
onions  and  potatoes. 

Soon  the  delicate  fragrance  of  frying  onions,  as  all  per- 
vasive as  the  aroma  of  an  orange  grove,  was  diffusing  itself 
throughout  that  beautiful  and  magnificent  valley.  The 
party  watched  around  the  campfire,  as  if  in  fear  that  some- 
thing might  be  wasted  in  the  air.  The  potatoes,  carefully 
counted,  were  placed  beneath  the  ashes,  where  for  one  long 
hour  they  must  lie  unseen  and  untasted.  How  long  and 
how  many  its  sixty  minutes! 

Much  has  been  written  by  would-be  purveyors  on  the  art 
of  cooking  various  mixtures.  To  many  of  these  concoc- 
tions, some  of  which  are  unfit  to  be  introduced  into  the  hu- 
man stomach,  there  have  been  ascribed  names  usually  of 
French  coinage,  the  purpose  of  which  is  both  to  disguise 
the  commonplace  ingredients  used  and  to  compensate  in 
some  measure  for  lack  of  attractiveness  to  the  palate,  by 
spicing  the  compound  with  a  mysterious  name  of  foreign 
derivation. 

On  the  other  hand  it  may  be  interesting  to  the  fastidious 
epicure  to  glance  at  some  instructions  for  properly  cooking 
one  simple  article  in  plain  American  style,  al  fresco,  the 
recipe  for  which  is  prepared  by  an  intelligent  expert  as  the 
precipitate  of  personal  experience. 

How  TO  ROAST  POTATOES  IN  CAMP.  First  sccure 
the  i)otatoes.  Wrap  them  separately  iii  wet  paper  or 
something  of  a  similar  nature  that  may  be  available.  Bury 
them  in  the  hot  ashes  of  the  campfire  and  cover  with  hot 


THROUGH  THE  WASATCH  MOUNTAINS    297 

embers.  Let  them  remain  an  hour.  Then  call  the  boys. 
In  serving  they  should  not  be  cut  open  with  a  knife,  but 
should  be  divided  by  breaking. 

This  artless  method  of  cooking  this  well-known  tuber 
imparts  to  it  a  wholesomeness  and  palatableness  that  sur- 
pass all  the  countless  a  la's  with  which  caterers  have  de- 
luded the  public  in  its  preparation.  One  such  example  of 
Wild  West  cooking  may  suffice  in  this  connection. 

Possibly  the  chef-d'oeuvre  of  our  supper  in  Echo  Canyon 
was  the  onions  and  bacon,  the  pleasant  savor  of  which  was 
doubtless  heightened  by  our  thirty-mile  ride  and  tramp  in 
an  exhilarating  atmosphere  after  a  ten  weeks'  total  ab- 
stinence from  vegetable  diet. 

The  well-fed  epicure  may  fail  to  grasp  the  full  signifi- 
cance of  these  conditions,  but  it  was  expressed  with  unction 
at  a  banquet  given  by  a  venerable  and  wealthy  bachelor, 
an  acquaintance  of  the  writer.  Favorable  comments  were 
passing  round  the  board  concerning  the  excellence  of  vari- 
ous articles  that  were  being  served.  One  of  the  guests,  who 
had  been  an  intimate  friend  of  the  host  for  nearly  a  half 
century,  facetiously  said;  " Gentlemen,  even  the  excellent 
cook  for  this  occasion,  and,  in  fact,  all  of  the  modern  cater- 
ers fail  to  impart  to  the  viands  they  serve  the  peculiar  and 
appetizing  flavor  that  was  given  by  the  old  mothers,  when 
I  was  a  boy,  to  all  their  domestic  cookery."  "Is  that 
so,  George.^  And  how  old  was  your  palate  then.'"  was 
the  host's  prompt  repartee.  All  of  which  throws  light  on 
the  vagaries  of  a  man's  appetite. 

Under  favorable  conditions  Echo  Canyon  is  a  charming 
ravine.  While  our  evening  campfire  was  lighting  up  the 
deep  gorge,  Ben,  Fred  and  I  wandered  down  the  banks  of 
Echo  Creek,  the  bright  waters  of  which  glide  along  the  base 
of  overhanging  sandstone  cliffs,  and  we  soon  guessed  why 


298        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

the  canyon  had  received  its  present  name.  To  the  focus 
of  the  vast  concaves  that  have  been  scooped  from  some  of 
the  cliffs  the  sound  of  our  voices  came  back  with  redoubled 
power,  and  to  other  points  with  softer  reverberations 
startlmg  in  effect.  It  is  an  unobservant  traveler  whose  at- 
tention has  not  often  been  arrested  by  weird  echoes  coming 
to  his  ears  from  some  mountain  cliffs,  but  in  the  shadows 
of  this  canyon  we  discussed  the  phenomena  of  echoes  while 
interesting  demonstrations  were  being  made.  We  en- 
deavored to  calculate  the  distance  of  the  unseen  cliffs  that 
sent  back  the  sound,  and  then  speculated  upon  the  effect 
such  phenomena  would  produce  upon  the  minds  of  an  im- 
aginative people  like  the  Greeks  of  the  older  period,  who 
were  ready  at  any  time  to  pay  homage  to  any  deity  previ- 
ously unrecognized.  It  was  not  strange  that  they  should 
conceive  the  fiction  of  the  Nymph  Echo,  who  because  of 
her  babbling  was  made  to  pine  away  into  a  bodiless  voice. 
Nights  leisurely  spent  in  these  canyons  would  lead  the  un- 
tutored mind  to  let  loose  its  fancy,  if  it  possessed  any,  and 
people  this  mountain  valley  with  beings  more  than  human. 

As  we  looked  westward  down  the  canyon  we  noticed 
a  little  grove  of  quaking  aspen  trees  which  had  sent 
some  of  their  slender  branches  above  the  lines  of  the  cliffs 
beyond,  so  that  they  were  silhouetted  against  the  evening 
sky.  Although  the  air  seemed  to  be  perfectly  still  in  the 
valley,  the  leaves  of  the  aspen  trees  were  vigorously 
shaking,  as  if  some  invisible  sprites  were  using  them  to 
wave  signals  across  the  gorge. 

From  the  ravines  now  and  then  there  came  the  dismal 
howl  of  a  timber  wolf,  and  the  cry,  hurled  back  from  the 
echoing  rocks,  was  repeated  after  a  little  delay,  as  if  the 
wolf  had  been  awaiting  the  returning  sound,  like  enough  to 
his  own  to  be  the  voice  of  his  hungry  brother.     The  little 


THROUGH  THE  WASATCH  MOUNTAmS    299 

stream  continued  to  flow  down  the  valley  over  its  stony 
bed,  rushing  under  overhanging  willows,  singing  its  own 
peculiar  music,  in  which  there  was  any  melody  that  one's 
fancy  might  conceive. 

Amidst  these  startlmg  sounds  we  wandered  through  the 
gloom  nearly  a  mUe  down  the  dark,  rocky  road  where  we 
decided  that  it  was  time  to  return.  Before  retracing  our 
steps  up  the  canyon  we  gave  a  short  whoop,  which  as  before 
was  echoed  back  from  the  other  side.  To  our  astonish- 
ment the  first  echo  was  quickly  followed  by  a  soft,  sup- 
pressed whoop  and  echo,  evidently  the  voice  of  a  girl.  We 
repeated  our  call,  but  no  voice  then  came  back  except  our 
own.  Renewed  curiosity  impelled  us  to  follow  the  path- 
way farther  down  stream.  The  light  of  a  campfire  soon 
broke  through  the  foliage,  and  it  became  evident  that  an- 
other party  was  in  the  valley.  Approaching  the  group,  we 
discovered  to  our  great  surprise  and  pleasure  that  it  was 
the  family  of  Dr.  Brown  from  whom  we  had  separated  at 
Julesburg  and  who  intended  to  remain  in  Denver.  On 
their  arrival  at  that  mining  camp,  letters  were  received  by 
the  doctor  urging  him  to  proceed  at  once  to  Oregon  where 
a  friend  had  located  at  a  place  offering  an  excellent  oppor- 
tunity for  a  physician  to  practice  his  profession. 

Echo  Canyon,  which  proved  to  be  so  interesting  to  us  and 
in  which  several  days  and  nights  were  again  spent  later  in 
the  season,  is  twenty -three  miles  in  length  and  increases  in 
depth  as  it  narrows  down  to  its  outlet  into  the  valley  of  the 
Weber  River.  At  a  few  points,  narrow,  steep  ravines  ra- 
diate from  the  main  canyon,  and  in  their  walls  a  few  small 
caves  are  found.  From  the  summits  above  the  valley  the 
views  obtained  were  superb. 

At  the  break  of  day  after  our  first  night  in  Echo  Canyon, 
we  heard  the  approaching  mail  coach  rattling  along  the 


300        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

stony  road,  making  its  best  possible  speed  down  the  rapid- 
ly descending  grade,  turning  short  curves  on  the  dizzy 
edge  of  cliffs  over  which  a  slight  deviation  would  have 
hurled  it  upon  the  rocks  below.  A  glimpse  into  the  open 
windows,  as  the  coach  rolled  by,  revealed  the  passengers 
within  half-reclining  in  various  attitudes,  doubtless  weary 
with  their  long  ride  and  evidently  unconscious  of  the  grand 
scenery  through  which  they  were  plunging. 

On  the  ninth  of  August  we  reached  the  station  at  the 
mouth  of  the  canyon,  and  a  general  rush  was  made  for  the 
establishment  in  which  we  learned  there  was  a  telegraph 
office,  the  wires  having  been  strung  to  Salt  Lake  several 
months  previous  to  our  visit.  Many  weeks  had  passed 
since  we  had  received  any  intelligence  from  the  busy  world. 

"What's  the  news  from  America.'*"  asked  Ben  after  we 
had  entered  the  door. 

"Here's  the  last  Salt  Lake  paper,"  said  the  genial  proprie- 
tor, as  he  laid  the  welcome  sheet  upon  the  counter. 

We  gathered  closely  around  the  journal,  and  all  read  the 
first  headlines:  "The  Success  of  the  Prussians  Attributed 
to  the  Needle  Gun." 

"\Miat  have  the  Prussians  been  doing  with  Needle 
guns?"  was  asked. 

"Fighting,  of  course,"  said  the  man  behind  the  counter. 
"  You  probably  haven't  heard  of  the  European  war.  Here 
are  other  papers, "  he  added,  as  he  laid  them  before  us. 

These  disclosed  the  fact  that  on  the  third  day  of  the  pre- 
ceding month  (July,)  a  great  decisive  battle  had  been 
fought  between  the  Prussians  and  the  Austrians  at  Konig- 
gratz  in  Bohemia,  now  called  the  battle  of  Sadowa,  in 
which  the  Austrians  had  lost  40,000  men.  But  why  had 
we  not  learned  before  leaving  the  states  that  war  existed 
between   those   nations?     Further   investigation   showed 


THROUGH  THE  WASATCH  MOUNTAINS    301 

that  the  first  message  through  the  Atlantic  cable,  which 
had  been  quietly  laid,  was  received  on  July  29th,  and  it 
announced  that  a  treaty  of  peace  had  been  concluded  be- 
tween Austria  and  Prussia,  a  surprise  in  that  day  of  slow- 
going  even  in  New  York.  On  the  same  day  telegrams  of 
congratulation  passed  between  Queen  Victoria  and  Presi- 
dent Johnson  on  the  successful  completion  of  the  link  be- 
tween the  two  countries,  and  these  were  also  quoted  in  the 
Salt  Lake  papers.  News  from  Europe  at  the  close  of  the 
Prussian  war  reached  Salt  Lake  two  weeks  more  quickly 
than  was  possible  at  the  beginning  of  that  conflict,  which 
lasted  only  se^'en  weeks.  Thus  it  seemed  that  although  we 
were  ten  weeks  in  travel  farther  from  Europe  than  we  were 
when  we  moved  out  from  Nebraska  City,  we  were  twelve 
weeks  nearer  to  it  in  time  of  communication  than  we  would 
have  been  "n-ithout  the  telegraph.  As  we  passed  along  on 
the  following  days  in  sight  of  the  cold,  silent  wires  strung 
across  that  wild  country,  we  were  conscious  that  signals 
were  probably  flying  through  them  that  others  could  read, 
yet  for  us  there  was  no  message  from  home  that  we  could 
see  or  hear.  It  was,  therefore,  remarked  that  if  we  could 
read  the  signals  which  then  might  be  passing  tlirough 
space  where  there  were  no  wires,  or  could  understand  even 
the  call  of  the  birds  that  nested  in  those  rocks,  and  would 
soon  migrate,  we  should  be  wiser  than  other  men. 

Our  trail  through  the  Wasatch  Mountains  zigzagged  at 
acute  angles  to  reach  the  canyons  through  which  it  must 
pass  and  in  a  manner  which  sometimes  leaves  the  observant 
traveler  be^nldered  concerning  the  direction  in  which  he  is 
going.  The  average  immigrant  simply  follows  such  a  trail 
in  the  abiding  faith  that  it  ^^411  come  out  somewhere. 

From  Echo  our  trail  bore  sharply  to  east  of  south,  thence 
westward   into  Silver  Creek  Canyon,  thence  southward 


302        THE  AWAKENEsG  OF  THE  DESERT 

through  that  gorge,  thence  westward  through  Parley's 
Canyon,  at  all  times  following  the  sinuosities  of  mountain 
streams  and  crooked  valleys. 

Beyond  a  little  flouring  mill  on  the  Weber  River  we 
pitched  an  attractive  camp,  where  Fred  found  water  on  a 
mountain  side. 

Some  experiences  in  Silver  Creek  and  Parley's  Canyon 
will  be  mentioned  in  connection  with  another  trip  through 
these  ranges  of  mountains.  On  the  morning  of  August  11th 
I  stood  guard  from  midnight  on  the  western  limits  of  the 
beautiful  Parley's  Park.  At  2.45  a.  m.  as  prearranged,  the 
camp  was  roused  that  we  might  make  an  early  start.  At 
noon  we  lunched  on  a  high  cliff  near  the  west  end  of  Par- 
ley's Canyon,  a  point  not  reached  by  the  present  road.  In 
the  distance,  the  waters  of  Great  Salt  Lake  sparkled  in  the 
sunlight  and  between  it  and  us  was  spread  that  interesting 
valley,  which  once  was  an  alkaline  desert  soon  to  be  made 
to  blossom  as  the  rose.  In  its  bosom  was  the  new  City  of 
the  Saints,  which  we  entered  near  the  close  of  the  day. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

Why  a  Fair  City  Arose  in  a  Desert 

THE  history  of  Utah  is  a  history  of  the  Mormons, 
but  that  history,  as  is  well  kno\\Ti,  strikes  its 
roots  much  further  East.  It  is  not  the  purpose 
of  this  story  to  give  a  chronicle  of  Mormonism, 
nevertheless,  as  some  startling  events  have  marked  the 
birth  of  nearly  every  religious  sect,  a  cursive  glance  at  the 
beginnings  of  Mormonism  seems  necessary  to  introduce  us 
into  the  atmosphere  of  Mormon  life  and  make  our  later  ob- 
servations better  understood.  The  brief  account  here 
given  is  largely  the  result  of  personal  investigation  and  of 
conference  with  old  citizens  in  the  early  centers  of  Mor- 
mon influence. 

The  revelation  made  to  Joseph  Smith  on  the  hill  Cumo- 
rah,  near  the  village  of  INIanchester,  in  the  state  of  New 
York;  the  delivery  to  him  by  Moroni,  a  messenger  from 
God,  of  the  book  written  on  plates  of  gold,  also  a  key  with 
which  to  translate  the  mystic  characters  engraved  there- 
on,— all  of  which  was  alleged  to  have  taken  place  in  the 
year  1827,  naturally  became  the  subject  of  much  comment, 
chiefly  of  an  adverse  nature. 

A  few  persons  accepted  as  a  divine  revelation  the  book 
as  translated,  which  was  finally  crystallized  into  the  Book 
of  Mormon,  now  held  by  that  people  as  a  part  of  the  Holy 
Word  and  equal  in  importance  and  authority  with  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments. 

303 


304        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

After  suffering  many  persecutions,  during  which  the 
disciples  of  Smith  gradually  increased  in  numbers,  the  lead- 
ers of  the  New  Church  practically  abandoned  the  state  of 
New  York,  a  number  of  them  reaching  Independence, 
Missouri,  in  the  early  part  of  the  year  1831,  where  in  obedi- 
ence to  another  revelation  they  established  a  Zion,  a  term 
which  appears  to  be  adopted  for  their  various  centers  of 
religious  activity.  Almost  concurrently  with  the  move- 
ment to  Missouri,  a  colony  of  the  scattered  New  York 
Saints  settled  in  Kirtland,  Ohio.  In  both  of  these  Zions 
monthly  journals  were  published  to  represent  the  interests 
and  claims  of  the  New  Church.  Temples  were  also  built, 
the  one  in  Kirtland  being  dedicated  in  1836.  Records 
show  that  the  Saints  held  their  property  in  common.  In 
Independence  and  other  towns  in  Missouri,  soon  after  their 
settlement  bj^  the  Mormons,  numerous  adherents  of  the 
new  faith  were  mobbed,  tarred  and  feathered.  After  con- 
tinued tribulations,  which  in  the  severe  winter  of  1839  de- 
veloped into  open  warfare,  they  were  driven  from  the  state, 
leaving  their  possessions  chiefly  in  the  control  of  their  per- 
secutors. 

They  were  soon  heard  of  in  western  Illinois,  which  they 
reached  after  being  goaded  at  every  step  by  the  oppo- 
sition and  derision  of  the  former  settlers.  Nauvoo,  or  the 
Holy  City,  as  it  was  called  by  the  Saints,  became  the  center 
of  their  prosehi:ing  in  that  state.  There  they  erected  a 
temple,  which  in  many  respects  was  remarkable,  partly  be- 
cause of  the  fact  that  it  is  said  to  have  cost  $1,000,000.  It 
is  described  in  detail  in  Times  and  Seasons,  Vol.  II.  The 
cornerstone  was  laid  on  April  6,  1841.  Thej'  also  estab- 
lished a  university  and  built  several  factories.  Being  in- 
dustrious, they  became  prosperous  and  increased  in  num- 
bers until,  as  stated  in  Smucker's  Mormonism,  their  church- 


WHY  A  FAIR  CITY  AROSE  IN  A  DESERT    305 

es  in  and  around  Nauvoo  embraced  from  ten  to  twenty 
thousand  members.  The  Millennial  Star,  Vol.  V,  reports 
more  than  that  number  in  attendance  at  the  October  con- 
ference in  Nauvoo,  in  1844. 

During  these  years  they  claim  to  have  been  guided  at  all 
times  bj'  divine  revelations,  which  were  given  to  their  lead- 
ers and  are  published  in  their  journals.  Having  faith  in 
the  authority  by  which  they  were  being  led,  they  acted  as 
a  unit  in  all  matters,  and  thus  became  a  power  to  be  reck- 
oned with  in  the  political  affairs  of  the  state.  This  subor- 
dination of  local  civil  government  to  the  head  of  a  new  re- 
ligious sect,  and  especially  to  one  which  its  adherents  rec- 
ognized as  a  theocracy,  seemed  contrary  to  the  spirit  of 
American  institutions  and  was  repugnant  to  the  ideas  of 
the  early  Illinois  pioneers. 

It  was  especially  odious  to  those  political  leaders  on 
whom  the  Mormons  would  not  unite  their  votes.  This 
situation  intensified  the  hatred  that  had  previously  met 
them  and  they  were  soon  confronted  by  fresh  opposition. 
It  would  appear  from  the  text  of  letters  addressed  by  Smith 
to  Henry  Clay  and  John  C.  Calhoun,  prior  to  the  election 
in  1844,  that  he  was  arrogant  in  a  high  degree.  In  those 
letters  he  demanded  from  the  candidates  a  statement  of 
what  their  attitude  toward  the  Mormons  would  be  in  case 
of  their  election.  Some  journalists  characterized  the 
demand  as  insolent  and  yet  suffragettes,  labor  unionists 
and  other  equally  respectable  leaders  frequently  make 
similar  demands. 

On  the  12th  of  July,  1843,  a  revelation  was  said  to  have 
been  made  to  Joseph  Smith  and  was  duly  published.  A 
copy  is  given  by  Bancroft,  (page  160),  sanctioning  by  di- 
vine authority  the  practice  of  polygamy.  This  declaration 
seemed  to  afford  sufficient  grounds  for  a  renewed  war  of  ex- 


806        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

termination.  Then  followed  the  bitter  conflict  between 
the  citizens  represented  by  mobs  and  the  state  militia  on 
the  one  side,  and  the  Mormons  on  the  other  side,  which  cul- 
minated in  the  assassination  of  Joseph  Smith,  the  prophet, 
and  Hyrum,  his  brother,  by  a  mob  of  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  disguised  men,  in  the  prison  in  Carthage,  Illinois, 
on  June  27,  1844,  where  they  were  awaiting  trial  on  an  in- 
dictment for  treason.  On  July  25th,  Governor  Thomas 
Ford  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  people  of  the  county 
(Hancock)  denouncing  mob  violence.  The  governor's 
paper  is  given  in  The  Star  of  October,  1844. 

This  event  occurred  during  a  carnival  of  crime  and  mur- 
der in  the  country  around  Nauvoo,  all  of  which  has  given 
rise  to  such  conflicting  opinions  that  the  investigator,  after 
conversing  with  numerous  witnesses  and  reading  various 
journals  of  the  time,  cannot  fail  to  conclude  that  both 
Mormon  and  Gentile  desperadoes  infested  that  part  of  the 
state.  Edward  Bonney,  in  a  little  volume  entitled  The 
Banditti  of  the  Prairies,  gives  a  thrilling  record  of  crime 
which  he,  as  an  officer,  assisted  in  bringing  to  light,  and 
which  resulted  in  the  execution  of  a  number  of  Mormon 
murderers,  but  I  discovered  that  he  himself  was  brought  to 
trial  under  an  indictment  for  issuing  counterfeit  money. 
A  change  of  venue  carried  the  case  to  a  Gentile  court,  where 
he  made  a  successful  defense.  Recrimination,  robbery, 
riot,  and  organized  resistance  by  both  parties  in  this  war 
continued  until  the  final  eviction  of  the  Mormons  from  the 
state.  Fourteen  years  had  now  passed  since  the  New 
Church  was  organized  by  a  few  obscure  men.  At  the  time 
of  the  assassination  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith  the  Mor- 
mon enrollment  of  Nauvoo  numbered  thousands. 

The  history  of  other  new  religious  faiths  was  repeated. 


WHY  A  FAIR  CITY  AROSE  IN  A  DESERT     307 

Mormonism  was  strengthened  by  the  persecutions  through 
which  its  enemies  aimed  at  its  extermination. 

"Strive  with  the  half -starved  lion  for   its  prey — 

Lesser  the  risk 
Than  rouse  the  slumbering  spirit  of  wild  fanaticism." 

In  August,  1844,  Brigham  Young,  in  accordance  with  a 
revelation  said  to  have  been  received  by  him,  declared  him- 
self to  be  the  successor  of  Joseph  Smith,  and  in  December 
he  was  elected  by  the  great  assembly  at  Nauvoo,  president 
of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,  which 
was  the  name  officially  adopted  for  the  new  society.  Sid- 
ney Rigdon  was  also  an  active  candidate  for  the  office. 
His  defeat  was  humiliating.  He  was  tried,  convicted,  and 
condemned. 

Previous  to  the  death  of  Smith  there  appears  to  have 
been  but  one  organized  separation  from  the  parent  church, 
but  Young  and  Rigdon  were  not  the  only  persons  who  laid 
claim  to  the  mantle  of  the  prophet,  Smith.  The  succession 
was  bitterly  contested  by  James  J.  Strang,  who  aside  from 
Brigham  Young,  was  perhaps  the  first  and  most  formidable 
aspirant  for  office,  partly  because  of  his  powers  of  leader- 
ship, and  partly  because  he  declared  that  at  the  moment  of 
Smith's  death  he  received  a  revelation  that  vested  in  him 
divine  authority  to  become  leader  of  the  Saints.  But  little 
seems  to  have  been  written  concerning  the  remarkable 
career  of  this  Mormon  prophet,  who  for  several  years  exer- 
cised a  dictatorship  over  his  few  thousands  of  followers 
which  in  rigor  hardly  has  a  parallel  in  our  history.  Some 
letters  from  his  followers,  and  among  them  those  of  Bishop 
George  Miller,  have  come  into  my  hands,  and^'thcse'^give 
some  history  of  the  Strangite  movement.     Miller  had  been 


308        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

appointed  by  Young  to  organize  the  association  to  erect 
the  Nauvoo  house  and  temple,  but  finally  joined  Strang 
and  opposed  Young.  Neither  these  letters  nor  the  records 
in  the  historical  society  are  so  complete  and  convincing  as 
are  the  statements  of  Strang's  own  people. 

It  has  been  my  privilege  to  be  granted  several  interviews 
with  the  one  person  who  doubtless  knows  more  than  any 
other  now  living  concerning  the  life  of  the  so-called  king 
and  prophet,  Strang,  and  of  the  autocratic  rule  of  his 
island  dominion.  It  was  her  husband,  Thomas  Bedford, 
who  put  the  final  quietus  on  that  monarch's  authority. 

Sitting  with  her  daughter  and  me  in  their  neat  little  cot- 
tage in  Northern  Michigan,  she  modestly  consented  to  give 
the  full  story,  which  they  both  stated  had  never  before  been 
given  in  detail  even  to  her  own  children,  but,  as  she  said, 
the  time  had  come  when  all  the  truth  should  be  given,  and 
some  of  that  truth  had  to  that  time  for  various  reasons  been 
withheld. 

Mrs.  Bedford  descended  from  hardy  Connecticut  stock, 
and  at  the  age  of  seventy -six  abounded  in  vigor,  and  yet 
she  was  serene  in  temperament.  Her  statements  in  re- 
viewing the  thrilling  history  of  her  experiences  in  the 
Northern  Empire  were  clear  and  definite,  and  she  never 
hesitated  in  giving  either  names  or  dates. 

In  the  winter  of  1844,  Mrs.  Bedford  passed  through  the 
Endowment  house  at  Nauvoo.  After  suffering  with  the 
Saints  in  their  various  viscissitudes  of  fortune  and  fate  in 
Nauvoo  and  Nebraska,  in  the  year  1850  and  at  the  age  of 
sixteen,  she  entered  with  her  parents  the  Strang  colony  on 
Beaver  Island  and  spent  five  years  in  that  fellowship. 

James  J.  Strang  was  born  in  Scipio,  N.  Y.,  in  the  year 
1813,  and  was  educated  for  the  practice  of  law.  He  had 
been    a  Baptist  until  he  became   interested   in  Mormon 


THE    KING    OF    BEAVER    ISLAND 


WHY  A  FAIR  CITY  AROSE  IN  A  DESERT     309 

affairs  and  at  Nauvoo,  when  Smith  was  at  the  zenith  of 
his  authority,  he  was  baptized  into  the  Mormon  Church 
and  soon  became  an  elder.  His  complexion  was  florid,  his 
hair  was  red,  and  he  wore  a  glass  eye,  but  he  was  a  con- 
vincing speaker. 

As  the  result  of  an  alleged  revelation  he  established 
Zion  at  Spring  Prairie  (now  Voree)  Wisconsin,  where  (so 
he  often  stated  to  his  disciples)  he  discovered  eighteen  me- 
tallic plates  containing  valuable  history.  It  appears  that 
these  were  never  submitted  to  the  inspection  of  his  people. 

In  1847  with  a  few  followers  he  established  a  new  Zion 
on  Beaver  Island,  in  Lake  Michigan,  to  which  point  con- 
siderable additional  Mormon  immigration  was  attracted 
in  1849.  It  was  his  declared  purpose  to  make  this  island 
the  center  of  Mormon  power.  In  1850  the  government  of 
his  colony  was  established  on  Mormon  lines  by  the  Union 
of  the  church  and  civil  government,  and  on  July  8th  of 
the  same  year  he  was  formally  crowned  King  by  George 
Adams,  president  of  the  twelve.  I  find  this  union  of  church 
and  state  to  be  authorized,  and  the  argument  therefor 
presented  in  Times  and  Seasons,  1844. 

The  assumption  of  civil  authority  by  the  Strangites  re- 
sulted in  much  friction  between  the  Mormons  and  their 
opponents,  though  not  so  serious  as  what  arose  from  a  simi- 
lar cause  in  Elinois.  The  fact  that  the  number  of  votes 
cast  on  Beaver  Island  was  equal  to  its  entire  population 
seems  to  be  conceded.  It  is,  however,  the  inside  life  of  that 
people  that  is  of  present  interest. 

Strang  had  one  wife,  named  Mary,  when  his  kingdom 
was  established,  but  a  revelation  that  he  announced  to  his 
people  decreed  polygamy  to  be  a  divine  institution.  He 
accordingly  added  four  waves  to  his  household,  the  last 
two,  Phoebe  and  Delia  Wright,  who  were  cousins,  being 


310        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

taken  on  the  same  day,  as  the  sequel  of  a  picnic  held  by 
the  Saints  on  an  island  in  Pine  Lake,  which  in  memory  of 
the  happy  event  was  called  Holy  Island,  by  which  name 
it  is  still  known.  Two  daughters  from  his  second  and 
third  marriages  were  named  respectively  Eveline  and 
Evangeline  in  honor  of  whom  two  important  townships 
in  Michigan  still  bear  the  name  given  by  Strang. 

Strang  was  the  father  of  twelve  children,  four  of  whom 
were  born  after  his  death  and  were  the  children  of  his  last 
four  \\-ives.  They  all  lived  together  in  the  one  home.  John 
R.  Forster  in  his  report,  1855,  on  his  survey  of  Beaver 
Island,  which  appears  in  Michigan  Historical  Society  Re- 
ports, Vol.  IX,  states  that  Strang  had  six  wives.  My  in- 
formant, who  was  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  family  and 
home  says  that  this  statement  is  incorrect,  but  that 
Strang  had  said  in  her  hearing  that  he  would  be  a  father 
to  the  fatherless  and  a  husband  to  the  widow,  and  one 
mourner  did  sojourn  for  a  time  in  his  hospitable  log  cabin. 

Each  of  Strang's  twelve  apostles  also  took  more  than 
one  wife,  two  of  the  apostles  having  three  wives  each. 

All  weddings  were  private,  none  but  officers  who  were  to 
perform  the  ceremony  being  present.  The  temple  in  which 
all  these  religious  functions  were  performed,  and  where 
services  were  held  was  built  of  pine  logs,  hewed  square. 

In  accordance  with  early  Mormon  teachings  the  use  of 
tea,  coffee,  tobacco,  and  spirituous  liquors  was  interdicted. 
The  payment  of  tithes  to  the  King,  as  well  as  the  first 
fruits  of  field  and  flocks  was  required.  One  of  the  earliest 
edicts  of  the  King  prescribed  the  dress  that  must  be  worn 
by  his  people.  The  women  were  required  to  wear  the  style 
of  costume  which  Miss  Bloomer  endeavored  later  to  intro- 
duce.    The  men  were  commanded  to  wear  an  equally  dis- 


WHY  A  FAIR  CITY  AROSE  IN  A  DESERT  311 

tinctive  garb  consisting  in  part  of  a  short  jacket,  with  no 
skirt  or  tail  to  the  coat. 

Mrs.  Bedford  states  also  that  from  infancy  and  during 
the  first  four  years  under  Strang's  dominion  she  religiously 
conformed  to  all  the  decrees  of  the  church.  One  day,  how- 
ever, she  was  discovered  in  her  home  by  the  prophet  when 
for  a  brief  period  she  was  wearing  an  ordinary  dress.  The 
Prophet  King  at  once  declared  that  the  rule  pertaining  to 
dress  must  be  enforced,  or  the  people  must  walk  over  his 
dead  body.  The  strong,  independent  spirit  of  the  woman 
rose  within  her,  and  the  beginning  of  the  end  had  come. 
Bedford  had  previously  been  ordered  to  appropriate  some 
fishing  nets,  which  were  the  property  of  others.  A  boat 
had  been  stolen,  and  Bedford,  who  was  a  sturdy  English- 
man, would  speak  the  truth,  which  reflected  upon  the  in- 
tegrity of  certain  of  Strang's  apostles,  whereupon  the  King 
caused  his  officers  to  enforce  upon  Bedford  a  brutal  punish- 
ment with  whips.  These  were  secured  later  and  were  sent 
to  a  museum  in  Detroit. 

The  rule  of  a  tyrant  is  quite  certain  in  time  to  be  brought 
to  an  end  by  some  lover  of  liberty  and  justice. 

Night  came  down  upon  Bedford's  home  far  back  upon 
Beaver  Island,  and  husband  and  wife  conversed  together 
concerning  the  wrongs  and  oppression  of  the  King^s  des- 
potic rule.  Strang  had  preached  that  no  bullet  could 
enter  his  body, 

"If  you  are  going  to  shoot  Strang  go  now  and  do  it," 
said  the  indignant  young  wife,  and  Bedford  went  out  into 
the  darkness.  It  was  long  past  the  midnight  hour  of  June 
17th  when  the  waiting  wife  heard  a  pounding  at  the  barred 
door  of  their  log  cabin, 

"Who  is  there?" 

"Friends," 


Sl2        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

She  stood  with  an  axe  in  her  hands  prepared  to  defend 
herself,  her  children,  and  her  home.  Stating  what  defence 
she  would  make,  if  necessary,  she  told  her  visitors  that  she 
must  know  their  names,  before  they  would  be  admitted. 
On  becoming  assured  that  they  were  marines  from  the  gov- 
ernment steamer,  Michigan,  that  her  husband  was  aboard 
their  ship,  and  that  they  had  come  to  rescue  her,  she  un- 
barred the  door.  A  supper  had  been  laid  upon  the  table 
awaiting  her  husband's  return,  from  which  the  sailors  were 
glad  to  take  refreshment. 

Bundling  her  two  little  ones  and  a  few  light  effects,  they 
fled  to  the  steamer  before  the  King's  officers  reached  the 
house. 

Strang  had  been  duly  shot.  In  a  few  days  a  passing 
steamer  carried  him  to  Racine,  from  which  place  he  was 
conveyed  to  Voree,  where  on  July  8th  he  died  from  the 
effects  of  his  wound. 

Bedford  was  taken  to  Mackinac  and  placed  in  an  un- 
locked jail  with  a  friendly  guard,  but  boldly  returned  with 
his  wife  to  Beaver  Island.  There  was  no  recognized  leader. 
The  spell  was  broken.  The  Saints  scattered,  some  in  one 
direction  and  some  in  another,  as  opportunity  offered,  by 
passing  vessels.  Women  wept  as  each  party  embarked. 
It  was  well  known  that  at  whatever  port  they  might  be 
landed  their  peculiar  dress,  which  marked  them  as  dis- 
ciples of  the  despised  and  now  fallen  prophet,  would  invite 
the  searching  gaze  and  contemptuous  jeers  of  rude  and 
unsympathetic  onlookers.  Such  was  in  fact  their  fate. 
Thus  was  closed  the  chapter  of  the  Strangite  defection. 

An  old  pioneer  has  related  to  the  writer  the  story  of  the 
gallows,  which  was  erected  on  the  Michigan  beach  by  the 
Mormons  and  which  he  cut  down.  Upon  it  was  suspended 
the  effigy  of  an  obnoxious  Gentile,  which  is  preserved  by  its 
prototype  to  this  day. 


\YHY  A  FAIR  CITY  AROSE  IN  A  DESERT    313 

At  the  time  of  the  dispersion  of  the  Strangites  Brigham 
Young  had  long  since  established  himself  as  the  hierarch 
of  the  Mormon  Church,  and  to  that  master  mind  was  dele- 
gated supreme  authority  in  conducting  a  movement  that 
has  hardly  a  parallel  in  history. 

The  occasion  for  prompt,  energetic,  and  sagacious  lead- 
ership arose  when  in  the  autumn  of  1845  armed  mobs  of  so- 
called  Illinois  citizens  descended  upon  Mormon  settlements 
in  the  vicinity  of  Nauvoo  and  burned  stacks  of  grain,  and 
other  property,  also  a  score  of  homes,  driving  men  and  help- 
less women  and  children  of  Mormon  families  from  their 
own  farms  out  into  the  darkness.  These  brutal  demon- 
strations were  repeated  by  the  destruction  of  mills,  facto- 
ries, and  business  property  in  Nauvoo,  accompanied  by 
demands  that  the  Mormons  must  leave  the  country  within 
sixty  days. 

These  facts  are  confirmed  by  Bancroft,  who  also  quotes 
many  other  authorities  in  verification.  Governor  Ford's 
proclamation  which  followed  the  riots,  embraced  the  state- 
ment that  prior  to  the  outbreaks  Hancock  County,  then 
occupied  in  part  by  the  Mormons,  was  as  free  from  crime 
as  any  county  in  the  state  of  Illinois. 

The  eviction  of  the  Mormons  from  Illinois  and  other 
states,  even  though  they  were  despised,  would  seem  to  have 
been  as  lawless  and  barbarous  as  has  been  the  expulsion  of 
Jews  from  Russia  or  Huguenots  from  France.  When 
thousands  of  Mormon  women  and  children  wept  as  they 
turned  their  backs  in  flight  upon  the  beautiful  temple  just 
completed  and  which  two  years  later  was  also  burned  by 
vandals,  it  was  like  the  sigh  of  the  Moor  when  from  the 
distance  he  cast  his  last  glance  toward  the  glorious  Alham- 
bra  and  Granada  from  which  his  people  had  been  driven. 

The  Mormons    were    now  again   in    exile.     And  now 


314        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

came  the  chosen  president  and  prophet  of  that  church,  the 
Moses  who  essayed  to  lead  his  homeless,  impoverished 
followers  to  a  promised  land.  The  exodus  of  this  people 
to  an  undetermined  part  of  the  far  West  unknown  to  them 
cannot  fail  to  excite  the  admiration  of  their  bitterest  enemy 
because  of  the  marked  abilities  and  masterly  generalship 
displayed  by  their  leader.  Nearly  every  obstacle  that  the 
mind  can  conceive  seemed  to  confront  them.  Their  homes 
were  destroyed,  or  abandoned  for  slight  compensation  and 
beset  by  profane  mobs  that  were  often  brutal,  and  doubt- 
less inferior  in  moral  qualities  to  the  Mormons  themselves, 
and  certainly  not  fair  representatives  of  the  industrious 
citizenship  of  the  state.  The  evicted  Saints  moved  west- 
ward toward  the  Missouri  River.  We  have  read  the  pa- 
thetic story  of  their  subsequent  wanderings,  and  I,  myself, 
have  heard  it  from  the  quivering  lips  of  men  and  women 
who  were  apparently  honest  and  sincere.  While  suffering 
from  hunger  and  disease,  with  inadequate  means  for  aiding 
their  afflicted  helpmates  and  children,  the  objects  of  gen- 
eral derision  and  hatred,  they  turned  their  backs  upon  the 
homes  which  they  had  built  and  loved,  and  like  a  con- 
quered tribe  of  Indians,  (but  less  respected  than  vanquished 
savages,)  they  turned  their  weary  steps  toward  the  setting 
sun. 

A  great  emergency  often  calls  forth  an  able  leader.  With 
a  base  of  operations  in  Eastern  Nebraska,  Brigham  Young 
quickly  laid  plans  looking  to  the  removal  of  his  people  to 
Northern  Mexico,  which  then  embraced  the  present  terri- 
tory of  Utah  and  had  been  brought  to  his  notice  by  Fre- 
mont's explorations.  He  would  there  establish  his  new 
empire  in  that  far-away  wilderness,  in  a  foreign  country, 
and  be  at  peace.  In  the  spring  of  1847,  he  personally  led 
his  first  party  of  132  Saints  across  the  plains  and  over  the 


WHY  A  FAIR  C  lTY  AROSE  IN  A  DESERT     315 

mountains,  and  on  July  21st,  from  the  foot  of  Emigration 
Canyon  they  beheld  for  the  first  time  the  sparkling  waters 
of  Great  Salt  Lake,  which  in  the  following  February,  as  the 
result  of  the  war  with  Mexico,  was  ceded  to  the  United 
States,  with  the  territory  south  as  far  as  the  Rio  Grande. 
Less  than  two  decades  later  our  own  little  party  also 
descended  into  that  valley.  The  stirring  events  of  their 
past  history  and  experiences  were  then  fresh  and  I  may  say 
burning  in  the  memory  of  that  generation  of  Saints.  We 
were  also  more  or  less  familiar  with  the  history  of  the  Mor- 
mons, as  gathered  from  various  authorities,  and  while  in- 
spired with  admiration  for  the  heroism  of  their  pioneers, 
we  doubtless  shared  in  the  prevailing  prejudice  against 
what  was  believed  to  be  a  misguided  people. 

The  purpose  of  this  brief  review  of  events  that  led  to 
the  settlement  of  Utah,  is  to  enable  the  reader  to  share  our 
preconceived  ideas,  while  we  spent  the  remainder  of  the 
summer  and  autumn  with  the  Saints.  Our  business,  on 
the  arrival  of  our  big  train,  would  bring  us  into  relations 
with  many  men  of  affairs  and  with  the  heads  of  the  church. 
These  relations  were  doubtless  more  unrestrained  and  cor- 
dial than  they  would  have  been,  if  in  return  for  their  cour- 
tesy we  had  been  expected  to  publish  a  literary  broadside 
of  caricature  such  as  they  had  become  familiar  with.  As 
a  fact,  a  few  journalists  had  reached  the  city  and  after  two 
or  three  days  spent  in  sight-seeing,  some  of  those  writers 
had  seemed  able  to  arrive  at  conclusions  concerning  men 
and  affairs  in  Utah  quite  satisfactory  to  themselves  and 
with  abundant  material  for  humor  and  ridicule.  It  has 
been  my  privilege  to  attend  religious  ser\'ices  in  many  tem- 
ples in  the  Orient  and  elsewhere,  where  millions  of  pre- 
sumably devout  worshippers  bend  the  knee  in  submission 
to  divine  authority,  and  offer  their  prayers  more  fervently 


316        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

and  humbly  than  I  am  wont  to  do,  and  strange  as  I  may 
have  thought  it  that  the  faith  of  those  people  was  not  the 
same  as  mine,  I  would  not  now  discuss  Mormonism  as  a 
religious  belief  because  my  judgment  may  be  biased  by  the 
strong  con\nctions  inherited  from  my  Puritan  ancestry. 
Theologians  trained  in  religious  thought  and  utterance 
have  already  passed  judgment  with  the  usual  result. 

As  the  one  overshadowing  fact  in  Constantinople  is  Mo- 
hammedanism and  the  Sultan,  so  in  Salt  Lake  City  it  was 
Mormonism  and  Brigham  Young.  It  was,  therefore,  not 
strange  that  on  the  day  after  our  arrival,  which  was  the 
Sabbath,  our  footsteps  were  directed  toward  the  square, 
which  was  the  center  of  the  religious  life  of  the  Mormons, 
and  in  which  was  the  bowery  where  their  great  services 
were  held  on  Sabbath  afternoons.  The  present  temple  and 
tabernacle  had  not  then  been  built.  We  were  assigned  to 
favorable  seats  near  the  platform.  The  bowery  was  a  rude 
structure  built  on  posts  set  into  the  ground  and  covered 
with  bushes  to  shade  the  worshippers  from  the  sun.  It  was 
situated  near  the  old  tabernacle  and  was  used  during  the 
summer  months.  We  were  informed  that  it  afforded  seat- 
ing capacity  for  8000  persons.  Having  come  early  to  the 
services,  we  waited,  and  watched  the  arrival  of  the  wor- 
shippers until  nearly  all  the  seats  appeared  to  be  occupied, 
and  we  glanced  with  great  interest  over  the  vast  assem- 
blage. 

I  had  been  a  regular  attendant  upon  the  morning  serv- 
ices of  our  little  Congregational  Church  in  the  East  and 
had  been  inspired  by  the  vast  audiences  convened  and  the 
eloquent  sermons  preached  by  Henry  Ward  Beecher  in  his 
great  tabernacle  in  Brooklyn,  and  I  knew  something  of 
church  life  and  the  means  often  adopted  for  bringing  to- 
gether audiences  for  religious  worship.     WTiat,  therefore, 


BRIGHAM    YOUNG 


WHY  A  FAIR  CITY  AROSE  IN  A  DESERT      317 

I  asked  myself,  was  the  power  or  influence  that  liad  at- 
tracted this  vast  gathering  of  thousands  of  worshippers 
to  a  rude  sanctuary  in  that  far-away  town  in  a  mountain 
wilderness? 

"Is  this  an  ordinary  Sabbath  service?"  I  asked  a  man 
who  occupied  a  seat  near  by. 

"O  yes,  this  is  about  an  average  attendance." 

"  It  would  seem  to  represent  about  half  the  entire  popu- 
lation of  the  city.     Are  we  not  correct  in  that  estimate?" 

"Yes,  but  there  are  a  few  people  here  from  outlying  dis- 
tricts, who  attend  these  services." 

At  about  that  moment  a  man  arose  from  among  the  few 
who  occupied  the  platform.  He  was  above  the  average  in 
height,  with  broad  shoulders,  a  deep  chest,  and  a  strong, 
well-knit  frame.  His  movements  were  indicative  of  great 
physical  strength  and  vigor.  He  had  cold,  gray 
eyes,  thin  compressed  lips,  a  firm  mouth,  and  a  broad, 
massive  forehead.  He  was  dressed  in  plain  business 
clothes,  and  his  bearing  indicated  that  he  was  master  of  the 
occasion.     It  was  Brigham  Young. 

The  thought  at  once  comes  into  the  mind  that  if  the  Mor- 
mon doctrines  were  true  there  stood  before  us  a  man  in 
whom  was  combined  all  that  there  once  was  in  Moses  as  a 
leader,  and  in  Elijah  as  a  prophet.  Suppliants  kneel  and 
kiss  the  ring  of  the  Roman  pontiff.  The  Mussulman  trem- 
bles if  he  approaches  the  Sultan,  yet  neither  of  those  eccle- 
siastic sovereigns  arrogates  to  himself  higher  authority 
than  was  assumed  by  this  president  of  the  Mormon  Church 
except  that  being  within  the  limits  of  a  modern  republic 
the  power  of  any  church  is  in  some  degree  restrained. 
Moreover,  Brigham  Young  was  not  an  aristocrat,  and  al- 
though his  predecessor,  Joseph,  by  virtue  of  his  office  as 
president  of  the  church,  was  Mayor  of  Nauvoo,  and  Brig- 


318        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

ham  as  far  as  possible  was  also  the  political  head  of  his  peo- 
ple, yet  he  was  not  hedged  about  by  courts,  princes,  or  pre- 
lates, but  mingled  with  the  people  and  was  drawing  thou- 
sands to  himself. 

We  are  all  in  some  degree  hero  worshippers.  As  a  youth 
I  had  gone  far  to  listen  to  addresses  made  by  some  of  our 
noted  orators,  chiefly  because  of  the  fame  they  had  achieved. 
With  equal  pleasure  I  had  heard  the  voices  of  Emerson, 
Whittier,  Saxe,  Bryant,  and  others  who  had  become  dis- 
tinguished through  their  writings.  Our  great  generals  also 
had  been  objects  of  intense  interest.  On  the  other  hand, 
we  all  remember  our  associations  with  some  men  whose 
acquaintance  had  been  formed  before  their  achievements 
had  made  them  objects  of  public  notice,  and  we  possibly 
remember  that  we  then  gave  them  but  little  consideration. 
The  prophets  were  rejected,  the  apostles  were  persecuted, 
yet  if  one  of  them  should  now  appear  and  be  recognized  he 
would  be  honored  by  the  millions. 

Before  us  in  that  Mormon  tabernacle  stood  a  strong 
man  assuming  the  highest  authority  that  it  is  possible  for 
man  to  claim.  Thousands  of  people  were  flocking  to  his 
standard  possibly  in  greater  numbers  than  came  at  any 
time  to  the  apostles  of  our  Saviour. 

After  the  first  service  that  we  attended  in  the  bowery, 
we  asked  of  each  other  the  question,  "What  will  be  the 
verdict  concerning  Brigham  Young  in  the  ages  to  come.''" 

On  each  Sabbath  when  in  the  city  I  was  present  at  the 
Mormon  services.  President  Young  spoke  on  each  occa- 
sion with  but  one  exception,  that  being  a  Sabbath  when  he 
was  absent  on  an  important  convocation  in  another  town. 

He  taught  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  a  continuation 
of  the  history  and  revelations  of  the  Bible.  Jesus  was  recog- 
nized as  having  been  one  of  the  prophets,  therefore  the  Mor- 


WHY  A  FAIR  CITY  AROSE  IN  A  DESERT      319 

mons  profess  to  be  Christians.  His  sermons  treated  large- 
ly on  practical  affairs  of  his  church  and  people,  even  to 
matters  pertaining  to  dress.  He  urged  habits  of  economy 
in  household  affairs.  Now  and  then  when  addressing  his 
great  audiences,  all  of  whom  listened  to  his  utterances  with 
rapt  attention,  Brigham  emphasized  a  point  by  bringing 
down  his  powerful  fist  heavily  upon  his  desk  and  then  paus- 
ing, as  if  to  indicate  that  the  fact  presented  was  firmly 
nailed  down.  As  an  apostle  of  temperance  in  the  use  of 
intoxicants  and  narcotics  he  was  uncompromising.  Al- 
though many  of  his  people  had  come  from  England,  Wales, 
Scandinavia,  and  other  European  countries,  we  did  not 
see  an  intoxicated  person  in  Salt  Lake  City.  One  saloon 
only,  so  far  as  we  could  learn,  existed  in  the  year  1866,  and 
that  was  said  to  be  owned  by  one  Charles  Trowbridge, 
who  consented  to  pay  the  required  license  of  $500.00  per 
month,  which  it  had  been  supposed  would  be  prohibitory. 

During  our  visit  the  relations  between  the  Mormons  and 
the  government  were  not  friendly.  In  one  sermon,  while 
dealing  wath  that  subject,  Brigham  said,  "  If  we  are  ever 
obliged  to  leave  this  valley,  we  will  leave  it  as  desolate  as 
we  found  it,"  to  which  the  people  replied,  "Amen." 

Heber  C.  Kimball,  who  was  first  councillor  to  President 
Young  and  Chief  Justice  of  the  State  of  Deseret,  a  man  to 
whom  was  conceded  a  high  character  for  sincerity  and  in- 
tegrity, in  one  of  his  addresses  in  Brigham's  presence,  said 
that  he  and  the  president  once  traveled  500  miles,  and  all 
the  money  they  had  during  the  trip  was  $13.50,  yet  they 
paid  out  $16.00  for  every  100  miles  of  travel.  This  he  said 
was  the  Lord's  work,  for  every  time  they  wanted  money 
they  had  only  to  put  their  hands  into  their  pockets,  and 
the  required  money  was  there.  This  statement  was  ap- 
parently offered  for  the  purpose  of  inspiring  faith  in  the 
hearts  of  their  missionaries. 


320        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

As  is  well  known,  nearly  every  Mormon  was  required  to 
serve  for  a  prescribed  term  in  such  mission  work  as  was 
assigned  to  him,  and  must  go  ^vnthout  purse  or  scrip.  The 
effect  of  this  system  is  that  their  church  is  represented 
economically  and  faithfully  in  nearly  every  part  of  the  civ- 
ilized world. 

Their  messengers  go  with  the  Bible  and  the  Book  of 
Mormon  as  their  guide.  We  naturally  gave  to  this  last- 
named  revelation  a  somewhat  careful  perusal  and  confess 
that  we  found  nothing  in  it  that  in  our  judgment  compared 
favorably  with  the  First  Chapter  of  Genesis  in  dignity  of 
style  or  clearness  in  expression,  no  words  as  assuring  to 
the  belie\'er  or  as  poetic  in  style  as  those  found  in  the  23d 
Psabriy  nor  any  thoughts  as  exalted  as  are  ^VTitten  in  the 
14th  Chapter  of  John.  Its  biblical  st^'le  imparts  to  the 
book  a  semblance  of  antiquity.  It  is  either  a  history  of 
races  concerning  which  there  had  been  no  known  recent 
record  until  the  alleged  discovery  of  the  golden  plates,  or 
it  is  a  clever  fabrication  accepted  by  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands as  the  truth. 

We  returned  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath  to  obtain  all  the 
light  possible  from  the  lips  of  the  prophet  concerning  this 
mysterious  revelation.  Now  and  then  one  might  observe 
some  newly  arrived  doubter,  just  in  from  the  mountains, 
who  gave  expressions  of  contempt  on  listening  to  the  expo- 
sition of  some  chapter.  We  have  also  heard  the  tittering 
of  light-hearted  youths  in  the  old  Methodist  prayer  meet- 
ings in  the  States. 

Brigham  Young  seldom  indulged  in  flights  of  rhetoric, 
and  his  teachings  were  often  given  in  the  form  of  commands 
and  not  as  advice.  He  frequently  dealt  rather  at  length 
on  the  social  and  domestic  affairs  of  his  people,  urging  in- 
dustry, temperance,  economy,  and  thrift,  and  advocated 


WHY  A  FAIR  CITY  AROSE  IN   A    DESERT  321 

a  simple,  modest  life  similar  to  that  which  was  required  in 
his  own  family,  where  each  wife  attended  to  her  own  domes- 
tic affairs.  In  referring  to  his  wives,  which  he  did  frequent- 
ly, he  used  the  term  "my  women."  This  expression  fell 
very  unpleasantly  upon  our  ears  unaccustomed  to  its  use. 
We  were  informed  that  the  terms  "my  man"  and  "my 
woman"  have  long  been  in  use  in  other  languages,  even 
with  the  ancient  Hebrews,  but  the  phrase  does  not  strike 
the  right  chord  where  woman  occupies  the  position  she 
does  in  America. 

The  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  administered 
each  Sabbath.  Water  was  used  instead  of  ^"ine,  and  along 
with  the  bread  was  carried  round  by  officers  of  the  church, 
during  the  delivery  of  the  afternoon  address.  There 
seemed  to  be  no  effort  to  make  it  the  solemn  occasion  that 
other  churches  make  of  the  communion  service. 

In  the  minds  of  the  curious  there  is  a  peculiar  interest  in 
the  complex  family  life  of  a  people  where  numerous  fami- 
lies center  in  a  single  head.  Although  an  occasional  guest 
at  the  president's  home,  I  found  it  impossible  to  learn  with 
certainty  how  many  persons  were  comprised  in  his  family, 
and  much  diversity  of  opinion  seemed  to  exist  in  the  minds 
of  those  who  would  be  most  likely  to  know  the  facts.  On 
many  semi-public  occasions  I  have  seen  sixteen  of  his 
wives  and  was  led  to  believe  that  to  be  the  number  then 
living.  In  1869,  after  the  completion  of  the  railroad,  when 
the  Boston  Board  of  Trade  visited  the  city,  in  reply  to  a 
direct  question  made  by  one  of  the  visitors,  Brigham  stated 
that  he  had  16  wives  and  49  children.  In  the  Utah  notes 
MS.,  the  statement  is  made  that  this  was  the  first  occasion 
on  which  he  publicly  gave  the  statistics.  During  our  stay 
I  noted  such  information  on  this  subject  as  could  conven- 
iently be  obtained. 


322 


THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 


These  notes  have  been  revised  after  reference  to  some 
later  official  publications  and  being  now  substantially  cor- 
rect may  be  of  interest,  especially  as  the  names  of  his  con- 
sorts are  also  given. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  names  of  the  wives  of 
Brigham  Young,  the  dates  of  their  births  as  fully  as  can  be 
ascertained,  also  the  dates  of  their  marriages  to  the  presi- 
dent, also  the  number  of  children  resulting  from  each  union. 


MARRIED    TO 
BRIGHAM 


NO.  OF 
CHILD- 
REN 


Miriam  Works 

Mary  Ann  Angell 

Lucy  Decker 

Harriet  E.  C. 
Campbell 

Augusta  Adams 

Clara  Decker 

Louisa  Beman 

Clara  C.  Ross 

Emily  Dow 
Partridge 
Susan  Snively 

Olive  F.  Frost 

Emmeline  Free 
Margaret  Price 

Naama  K.  Carter 
Ellen  Rockwood 


Oct.8,  1804 
Cayuga  Co, 
N.  Y.  State 
June  8, 1803 
Seneca,  N.  Y. 
May  17, 1822 
Phelps,  N.  Y. 
Nov.  7, 1824 
Whitesbor- 
ough.  N.  Y. 

1802 

Lynn,  Mass. 
July  23, 1828 
Phelps,  N.  Y. 
Feb.  7, 1815 
Livonia,  N.  Y. 
June  16, 1814 
N. Y.  State 
Feb. 28, 1824 
Painesville,  O. 
Oct.  — 1815 
Woodstock,  Va. 
July  24, 1816 
Bethel,  Me. 

Apr.  19. 1823 
Ash  ton.  Pa. 
Mar.  20, 1821 
Wilmington, 
Mass. 

1829 

HoUiston,  Mass. 


Aug.  8,  1824  Sept.  8, 1832  2 

Feb.  18, 1834  June  27, 1882  6 

June  16, 1842  Jan. 24, 1890  7 

Nov.  2, 1843  1 


-1886 


Nov.  2, 1843 


May  8, 1844       Jan.  5. 1889 


Sealed  for  time 

Jan. . . 1846     Jan. 6, 1866 


1844  Mar.  15, 1850     4 

Widow  of  Joseph 
Sept.  10, 1844       Oct.  17,  1858    4 
Widow  of  Joseph 

Sept.  1844  7 

Sealed  for  time 

Nov.  2, 1844       Nov.  20, 1892 

Feb.  —  1845       Oct.  6, 1845 
Widow  of  Joseph 
Apr.  30, 1845      July  17, 1875    10 
1845         1 

Jan.  26, 1846       


WHY  A  FAIR  CITY  AROSE  IN  A  DESERT       323 


Maria  Lawrence  Jan 1846       Died  in  Nauvoo 

Canada  Widow  of  Joseph 

Martha  Bowker         Jan 1822  Jan 1846       Sept. . .  1890 

Mt.  Holly,  N.  Y. 

Margaret  M.  Alley     Dec.  19, 1825  Oct. . . .  1846       Nov.  . . .  1852     2 

Lynn,  Mass. 
Lucy  Bigelow  Oct.  3, 18     30        Mar. .  .  .  1847      3 

Charleston,  LI. 
Zina  Diantha  Jan.  31,  1821 

Huntington  Watertown,  1848(.')Had  been  sealed 

N.Y.  to  Joseph  at  age  of  17 

Eliza  Roxey  Snow      Jan.  21,  1804  June  29, 1849      Dec.  5, 1887 

Becket,  Mas.'.  Widow  of  Joseph 

Eliza  Burgess  Oct.  3, 1850         

Harriet  Barney  England  1 

divorced  from  former  hus- 
band 

Harriet  Amelia           Aug.  23, 1838  Jan.  24, 1863 

Folsom  BufiFalo,  N.  Y. 

Mary  Van  Cott           Feb.  2, 1844  Jan.  8, 1865        Jan.  5. 1884        1 

Elmira,  N.  Y. 

Ann  Eliza  Webb          ........  1844  Apr.  6, 1868    Had  been  di- 

niinois  vorced  from  former  husband 

It  will  be  observed  that  of  the  twenty-six  wives  who 
were  from  time  to  time  united  to  Brigham  Young,  sixteen 
were  added  to  his  household  within  a  period  of  forty  months, 
five  were  united  to  him  in  each  of  two  years;  two  of  the 
wives,  Lucy  and  Clara  Decker,  are  said  to  have  been 
sisters;  six  of  the  number  were  widows  of  Joseph  Smith, 
the  first  president;  eleven  were  born  in  the  state  of  New 
York;  and  six  were  born  in  New  England.  Our  investi- 
gations also  disclose  the  fact  that  two  of  Brigham's 
wives  were  women  who  had  been  divorced  from  former 
husbands,  also  that  one  of  his  wives,  the  attractive  Zina 
Diantha,  had  been  sealed  when  a  young  girl  to  the 
prophet,  Smith.  It  also  shows  that  two  of  the  wives 
were  not  regularly  married  but  were  sealed  for  time  to 
President  Young.  These  ]ieculiar  and  varied  relations 
will  be  referred  to  in  another  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

Some  Inside  Glimpses  of  Mormon  Affairs 

THAT  fellow  is  a  Danite,  one  of  Brigham's  de- 
stro;y'dng  angels,"  remarked  a  man  who  formed 
part  of  a  group  with  whom  I  and  some  of  our 
boys  were  sitting  in  front  of  the  Salt  Lake  Hotel. 
Our  informant,  who  was  a  guest  at  the  hotel, 
knew  that  as  we  had  recently  arrived  any  startling  informa- 
tion concerning  local  affairs  would  certainly  be  received 
with  interest.  As  he  made  the  announcement,  he  raised  his 
eyebrows  and  cast  a  knowing  glance  toward  the  object  of 
his  remark,  an  unshaven,  dark-haired  man,  who  was  slowly 
passing  on  the  sidewalk.  Assuming  that  we  were  ignorant 
of  the  functions  of  the  destroying  angels,  he  informed  us, 
with  an  air  indicating  familiarit}^  with  the  Mormon  under- 
world, that  Brigham  had  a  lot  of  those  fellows  who  were 
sworn  to  do  anjiihing,  even  to  kill  at  the  Prophet's 
command. 

"I'm  glad  to  see  one  of  'em,"  interjected  a  member  of 
the  group,  "  and  say,  friend,  is  it  true  that  Brigham  has  a 
pile  of  money  he  has  got  one  way  and  another.'" 

"O  yes,"  replied  our  oracle,  "he  has  eight  million  in  the 
Bank  of  England. " 

"Yes,  I've  heard  that,  but  is  it  in  pounds,  dollars,  or 
shillings?     It  makes  a  damn  sight  of  difference  which." 

324 


INSIDE  GLIMPSES  OF  MORMON  AFFAIRS  325 

"I  ain't  sure  which,  but  it  is  eight  million  and  he  has  got 
ten  thousand  cattle  and  horses  over  on  Church  Island. " 

"He  can  afford  to  keep  a  lot  of  wives,"  said  another. 

"Wives!  do  you  know  that  he  has  them  in  every  part 
of  Utah.?  He  has  got  more  than  a  thousand  scattered 
around." 

All  these  statements  and  many  more  of  like  import  were 
received  with  more  or  less  credulity,  although  the  man  who 
introduced  the  conversation  just  cited  was  said  to  be  a  pro- 
fessional gambler  and    an  habitue  of   Trowbridge's  saloon. 

We  visited  Camp  Douglass  and  other  points  in  and 
around  the  city  until  we  were  surfeited  with  knowledge 
concerning  the  villainy  said  to  be  practiced  by  the  Mor- 
mons. These  and  many  other  tales  equally  startling 
and  absurd  were  spread  throughout  the  states  by  return- 
ing travelers  who  had  escaped  from  that  alleged  abode  of 
assassins. 

While  our  party  was  gathered  in  a  quiet  room  in  a 
hotel  one  evening  after  we  had  been  reviewing  the  results 
of  our  observations  and  the  statements  heard  upon  the 
streets  and  elsewhere,  Ben  with  much  gravity  outlined 
in  a  single  sentence  what  seemed  to  be  a  wise  and  digni- 
fied policy  for  us  to  pursue. 

"Now  here  we  are,"  said  Ben,  "among  a  people  who 
are  bitterly  divided  among  themselves.  We  don't  have 
to  be  Mormons,  but  I  see  no  sense  in  vilifying  and  de- 
nouncing them  as  hundreds  are  doing  on  the  streets,  who 
don't  know  any  more  theology  or  facts  than  we  do.  Let's 
be  fair  and  unprejudiced  and  avoid  controversies  on  these 
local  aJBFairs.  I  believe  the  men  who  are  doing  most  of 
the  talking  are  a  heap  worse  than  any  Mormons  I  have 
seen." 

During  that  summer  and  autumn  of  1866  the  relations 


S26        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

between  the  Mormons  and  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment were  exceedingly  strained,  and  some  unfortunate 
events  occurred  which  increased  the  tension.  The  few 
Gentiles  then  in  the  city  who  were  in  any  sense  not 
friendly  in  their  attitude  toward  the  local  government 
(which  was  Mormon)  were  regarded  with  disfavor  by  the 
Saints — and  for  evident  reasons.  This  was  especially 
the  case,  if  their  relations  with  the  army  or  United  States 
officials  were  intimate.  An  anomalous  condition  existed 
in  which  even  the  Jews,  with  all  the  others  who  were  not 
Mormons,  were  known  as  Gentiles!  The  Gentile  was  to 
the  Mormon  what  the  Giaour  is  to  the  Mussulman. 

General  Connor,  who  had  been  in  command  of  the 
United  States  forces  stationed  at  Camp  Douglass,  which 
post  overlooked  the  city,  had  held  the  situation  firmly. 
The  antagonism  between  him  and  the  Mormon  authori- 
ties had  at  all  times  been  generally  recognized  by  all 
parties.  Soon  after  the  withdrawal  of  General  Connor, 
and  in  the  spring  preceding  our  arrival,  Newton  Brass- 
field,  recently  arrived  from  Nevada,  married  a  wife  of  one 
of  the  elders  of  the  Church,  who  was  then  absent  on  a 
foreign  mission. 

On  the  2nd  of  April  Brassfield  was  shot  dead  by  some 
person  who  escaped  without  detection.  The  assassina- 
tion occurred  as  Brassfield  was  about  to  enter  his  hotel, 
and  caused  the  situation  to  become  still  more  acute,  as  it 
was  the  general  impression  that  the  act  was  committed 
by  order  of  the  Church  authorities.  So  far  as  I  could 
learn,  Brassfield  was  not  a  man  of  exalted  character,  and 
any  marriage  under  like  circumstances  might  have  been 
followed  by  similar  results,  had  it  occurred  in  another 
community.  Reports  were  circulated  that  two  other 
similar  attacks  upon  Gentiles  had  been  made  within  a 


INSIDE  GLIMPSES  OF  MORMON  AFFAIRS  327 

period  of  three  weeks,  but  it  seemed  difficult  to  ascertain 
the  facts,  except  that  in  neither  case  did  the  shots  prove 
fatal.  Late  in  the  night  of  October  22nd,  immediately 
after  it  occurred,  I  was  informed  of  the  assassination  of 
Dr.  King  Robinson,  a  gentleman  who  had  been  assistant 
surgeon  at  Camp  Douglass,  but  had  later  established  an 
office  in  the  city.  Dr.  Robinson  was  a  personal  friend  of 
the  Reverend  Norman  McLeod,  who  at  one  time  was  a 
chaplain  in  the  army,  but  in  the  year  1866,  and  at  the 
time  of  our  arrival,  was  in  the  service  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Home  Missionary  Society  in  Utah,  and  had  es- 
tablished in  that  year  the  first  church  other  than  Mormon 
that  was  ever  planted  in  that  territory.  McLeod  had 
purchased  a  lot  for  his  mission.  Thereon  he  built  a 
small  adobe  structure,  which  was  named  Independence 
Hall,  securing  the  money  for  its  construction  chiefly  in 
California,  and  in  this  new  building  he  vigorously 
preached  in  opposition  to  Mormonism.  Dr.  Robinson  be- 
came superintendent  of  the  Sabbath  School  connected 
with  the  new  church.  He  married  a  Miss  Kay,  an  estima- 
ble young  woman  of  a  prominent  family  that  had  aposta- 
tized from  the  Mormon  Church.  Prior  to  this  time  the 
doctor  took  possession  of  certain  ground  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  Warm  Springs  near  the  city,  which  he  assumed 
to  be  part  of  the  public  domain.  Pursuant  to  orders  of  the 
city  council  the  Marshal  destroyed  the  building  that 
Robinson  had  erected  upon  the  ground.  Other  property 
belonging  to  Robinson  was  subsequently  destroyed  by  a 
gang  of  disguised  men.  These  facts  were  currently  re- 
ported and  generally  accepted  in  the  city. 

It  was  only  two  days  later,  on  a  bright  moonlit  night, 
that  the  doctor  was  summoned  to  attend  a  young  man 
who  (it  was  alleged)  had  broken  his  leg.     When  a  few 


S28        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

hundred  feet  from  his  door  Robinson  was  shot  down. 
He  was  assisted  to  his  home  by  passing  friends  and  soon 
expired.  The  murderer  was  never  brought  to  trial,  and, 
so  far  as  I  could  learn,  no  effort  was  made  even  to  ap- 
prehend him. 

The  situation  during  the  next  three  or  four  days  was 
ominous.  General  Connor  was  no  longer  in  command  at 
Camp  Douglass,  which  commanded  the  city.  Squads 
of  men  gathered  on  the  street  corners  and  in  more  re- 
tired places  and  discussed  affairs  in  subdued  but  earnest 
tones.  There  was  a  prevailing  belief  that  men  who  had 
been  outspoken  in  opposition  to  Mormonism  were 
marked. 

The  funeral  of  Dr.  Robinson,  which  took  place  on  the 
24th,  was  attended  by  nearly  all  the  Gentile  population 
of  the  city  and  camp.  As  the  long  procession  slowly 
moved  down  the  main  thoroughfare  of  the  city,  great 
crowds  thronged  the  sidewalks. 

All  conditions  seemed  ripe  for  a  formidable  outbreak. 
Considering  the  type  of  men  who  were  then  in  the  city 
and  the  previous  conflicts  of  the  Mormons  in  the  states, 
many  were  surprised  that  an  outbreak  did  not  occur. 
Camp  Douglass  may  have  been  a  deterring  influence. 
The  Gentile  merchants  became  greatly  alarmed  and  made 
plans  for  the  abandonment  of  their  Utah  enterprises. 
These  plans  however  were  not  carried  out,  the  hope  being 
that  the  building  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  if  con- 
summated, would  soon  alter  conditions. 

At  about  this  time  the  Reverend  McLeod  was  sum- 
moned to  Washington  to  give  testimony  concerning  the 
character  and  designs  of  the  Mormons.  On  his  Eastern 
trip  he  attended  the  Wisconsin  Congregational  Conven- 
tion at  Fort  Atkinson  in  that  state,  and  there  he  gave  an 


INSIDE  GLIMPSES  OF  MORMON  AFFAIRS  329 

account  of  his  experiences,  a  review  of  which  soon  came 
into  my  hands,  along  with  a  criticism  of  a  letter  concern- 
ing the  Mormon  situation,  which  I  had  written  for  publi- 
cation. The  reports  of  conditions  in  Utah  were  calcu- 
lated to  intensify  in  the  East  a  spirit  of  bitterness  against 
the  Mormons,  and  to  confirm  the  belief  that  the  Mormon 
people  were  determined  to  resist  the  authority  of  the 
Government. 

No  one  can  fail  to  respect  the  devotion  of  these  embas- 
sadors of  the  Prince  of  Peace  to  the  cause  which  they 
represented,  nor  is  it  strange  that  hatred  and  bitterness 
should  pursue  an  honest  and  aggressive  ministry.  It  is, 
however,  a  question  whether  in  the  Christian  ministry 
the  best  results  follow,  when  denunciations  of  opposing 
sects  become  the  chief  arguments  with  which  to  lead  the 
erring  into  the  paths  of  righteousness. 

It  was  intensely  interesting  during  those  days  to  join 
in  the  little  Mormon  circles  in  Salt  Lake  City  and  listen 
to  their  story  of  their  trials  and  conflicts  as  viewed  from 
their  standpoint.  These  were  often  given  with  earnest- 
ness and  apparent  sincerity  and  honesty. 

One  afternoon  in  the  shade  of  the  apricot  trees  at  the 
home  of  one  of  the  elders,  where  I  had  frequently  been 
welcomed  as  a  guest,  he  gave  his  story  of  his  own  experi- 
ences and  an  interesting  version  of  the  now  historic 
expedition  of  General  Albert  Sidney  Johnston  in  the 
Utah  War.  The  elder's  statements  are  confirmed  in  a 
general  way  by  the  histories  of  the  time,  but  the  histories 
fail  to  show  all  that  was  going  on  behind  the  curtains. 
He  said  that  the  United  States  Government  had  sent 
many  men  of  low  and  mean  character  to  represent  it  in 
its  judiciary  in  Utah,  among  whom  was  Associate  Judge 
W.  W.  Drummond,  who  had  abandoned  his  wife  and 


330        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

family,  in  Illinois,  and  brought  with  him  a  woman  of  bad 
character. 

"In  1853,"  said  the  elder,  "Gunnison  and  several  of 
his  party  of  surveyors  were  massacred  by  the  Pah  Utes, 
and  this  act  was  attributed  to  the  Mormon  people.  Presi- 
dent Young  was  our  unanimous  choice  for  Governor 
during  another  term,  but  the  authorities  in  Washington 
were  determined  that  some  one  not  favorable  to  our  in- 
terests should  be  in  authority.  The  position  was  offered 
to  Colonel  Steptoe,  who  had  been  in  command  of  the 
United  States  troops,  but  he  declined  it.  In  1857,  Alfred 
Gumming  was  appointed  Governor,  and  in  July  he  as- 
sumed the  responsibilities  of  the  office." 

(Later  in  the  season  the  writer  spent  several  days  with 
Governor  Gumming  on  a  stage  ride  through  Colorado 
and  Kansas.)  Continuing  his  narrative,  the  elder  de- 
scribed the  local  conflicts  that  occurred  and  the  untruth- 
ful reports  concerning  Mormon  affairs,  which  were  pub- 
lished in  Eastern  journals.  He  said  President  Buchanan 
doubtless  desired  to  remove  the  United  States  troops 
from  the  states,  because  the  absence  of  the  main  body  of 
the  United  States  army  would  make  conditions  more 
favorable  for  the  southern  states  to  assert  their  inde- 
pendence. He  accordingly  sent  the  flower  of  the  army 
to  subdue  Utah  and  put  it  in  command  of  that  old  brag- 
gadocio. General  Harney,  who  said,  "I  will  winter  in 
Utah  or  in  Hell." 

"Do  you  think,"  said  the  elder,  "that  we  would  peace- 
fully await  the  results  of  such  threats,  without  taking 
some  steps  for  our  protection?  We  had  peacefully 
settled  on  what  was  then  foreign  soil.  President  Young 
organized  our  forces,  and  as  it  is  now  all  over  I  can  tell 
you  about  it.     Harney  sent  Captain  Van  Vliet  to  the 


INSIDE  GLIMPSES  OF  MORMON  AFFAIRS  331 

city  to  buy  some  supplies.  The  captain  had  a  talk  with 
President  Young,  who  said  that  he  did  not  wish  to  fight 
against  the  armies  of  his  country,  but  if  they  were  able 
to  get  through  the  mountains  they  would  find  the  city 
a  desert. 

"General  Johnson  succeeded  Harney  as  leader  of  the 
invasion,  and  I  was  sent  out  with  our  defending  forces. 
I  wore  Indian  clothes.  I  was  with  Indians  and  tried  to 
act  like  an  Indian.  It  was  an  interesting  life  full  of  ex- 
citement and  adventure.  Did  you  see  the  fortifications 
in  Echo  Canyon?" 

"Yes." 

"Well,"  continued  the  elder,  "I  helped  to  build  them, 
and  we  were  prepared,  if  the  army  should  enter  the  canyon, 
to  tumble  rocks  upon  them  from  the  cliffs  above,  as  we 
had  many  of  them  poised  on  the  edge  of  the  high  points 
that  overlooked  the  road  below. 

"I  was  sent  out  to  reconnoiter  in  the  path  of  the  in- 
coming army's  supply  trains,  and  we  were  able  to  fire  all 
the  wagons  in  one  of  them,  which  was  passing  Green 
River.  We  made  it  hot  for  the  troops,  but  the  cold 
winter  was  coming  on.  When  the  army  reached  Fort 
Bridger  they  found  it  desolate  and  the  buildings  burned. 
They  established  winter  quarters  near  there,  and  then 
our  hard  work  began.  It  was  war,  and  we  used  the  best 
tactics  that  we  could.  During  the  autumn  we  spent  our 
time  as  Indians  running  off  the  Government  stock  and 
left  General  Johnson  up  in  the  mountains  starving.  We 
escaped  to  the  city  before  the  snow  filled  the  canyons. 

"In  the  spring  Colonel  Kane,  a  Mormon,  came  in  from 
California  and  urged  that  President  Young  arrange  an 
interview  with  Cumming  and  seek  to  relieve  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  army  and  prevent  bloodshed.     He  secured 


332        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

President  Young's  consent  to  visit  Governor  Gumming  at 
the  Camp  near  Bridger  and  negotiate  for  a  settlement  of 
the  differences  between  the  Government  and  the  Mor- 
mons, and  finally  arranged  that  the  Governor  under  his 
guidance  and  with  a  Mormon  escort  should  go  into  the 
city  and  meet  Brigham. 

"This,"  said  the  elder,  laughing  heartily,  "was  the 
funniest  thing  I  ever  saw.  When  the  coach  bearing  the 
distinguished  party  reached  the  head  of  Echo  Canyon 
early  in  the  night,  it  was  met  by  a  body  of  mounted  men 
guarding  the  entrance  to  the  valley.  As  the  Governor 
was  under  a  Mormon  escort,  the  proper  password  was 
silently  given  by  the  man  on  the  box  to  the  Captain  in 
command  of  the  guards.  After  but  little  delay  the  Gov- 
ernor's party  was  allowed  to  proceed.  A  few  miles 
further  on  the  Governor's  party  was  again  halted  by  a 
body  of  guards.  The  password  was  again  given  in 
silence,  and  again  after  a  little  delay  the  coach  proceeded 
down  the  canyon  through  the  darkness.  Four  times  in 
Echo  Canyon  the  coach  was  stopped  by  mounted  guards. 
The  Governor  certainly  became  convinced  that  this 
narrow  avenue  to  the  city  was  well  defended."  Laughing 
again,  the  elder  said,  "I  was  one  of  the  guards  who  met 
the  Governor.  The  points  selected  to  stop  the  party 
were  those  from  which,  after  the  password  was  given,  we 
could  scatter  into  the  brush  and  quickly  get  together 
further  down  in  the  road  and  hasten  ahead  in  advance  of 
the  coach  to  a  point  where  we  could  again  be  ready  to 
halt  the  Governor,  a  different  man  at  each  point  being 
assigned  to  do  the  talking.  It  gave  the  impression  that 
a  different  body  of  men,  at  each  of  the  four  points,  was 
guarding  the  canyon.  When  the  coach  rolled  on  from  the 
mouth  of  the  canyon  and  left  us  behind,  we  talked    the 


INSIDE  GLIMPSES  OF  MORMON  AFFAIRS  333 

matter  over  together  and  agreed  that  the  tactics  had 
worked  admirably." 

I  was  greatly  interested  in  the  elder's  story.  Having 
previously  been  informed  concerning  the  entrance  of  the 
army  into  the  city,  I  asked  the  elder  to  continue,  as  I 
desired  his  view  of  the  whole  affair. 

"Well,"  said  he,  "the  Governor  reached  the  city  and 
was  received  by  our  legion  there.  One  Sabbath  he  ad- 
dressed many  of  our  people  in  the  tabernacle,  and  some 
of  our  elders  talked,  and  the  Governor  finally  learned 
that  the  conquest  of  Utah  was  no  simple  matter.  He 
was  openly  told  of  the  barbarous  treatment  that  we  had 
received  in  the  states,  of  the  malicious  destruction  of  our 
property  there,  and  of  the  assassination  of  the  prophet. 
He  was  told  of  the  battalion  that  we  had  furnished  the 
United  States  in  the  Mexican  War,  and  that  the  victory 
of  the  United  States  armies,  to  which  we  contributed, 
gave  to  the  American  people  the  very  territory  we  had 
previously  occupied  as  Mexican,  in  which  we  were  en- 
titled to  live  in  peace  and  worship  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  our  own  conscience. 

"In  a  few  weeks  the  Governor  returned  to  the  Camp 
(Camp  Scott),  and  after  communicating  with  Wash- 
ington a  ridiculous  proclamation  of  amnesty  was  sent  to 
our  people,  after  which  it  was  understood  that  the  army 
could  march  unmolested  to  Salt  Lake  and  establish  a 
camp  36  miles  from  the  city.  They  located  the  post, 
which  was  named  Camp  Floyd  (after  John  B.  Floyd, 
Buchanan's  Secretary  of  War).  Before  the  army  de- 
parted from  Camp  Scott  it  had  been  reinforced  by  several 
thousand  men.     They  entered  the  city  in  June." 

"Now,  Elder,"  said  I,  "what  was  really  the  condition 
of  the  city  when  the  troops  arrived?  J  have  been  told 
that  you  were  ready  to  burn  it." 


334        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

"I  will  tell  you  the  whole  story,"  the  elder  replied. 
"Our  people  had  practically  vacated  the  city,  taking  with 
them  everything  of  value  that  was  movable.  The  doors 
of  our  houses  were  locked,  but  in  them  we  had  placed 
straw  and  kindling.  Thirty  or  forty  men  were  left 
scattered  in  various  parts  of  the  city,  who  on  a  signal 
which  should  notify  them  if  any  of  our  buildings  should 
be  occupied  by  the  troops,  were  to  fire  every  building  in 
Salt  Lake,  and  it  surely  would  have  been  done." 

I  could  not  refrain  from  saying  to  the  elder  that  the 
Mormons  were  a  remarkable  people  and  that  their  de- 
votion to  their  religion,  and  their  faith  in  an  able  leader, 
were  certainly  inspiring. 

It  was  in  another  interview  under  the  shade  of  the 
same  apricot  tree  that  the  elder  told,  with  what  I  thought 
was  justifiable  pride,  of  the  negotiations  between  Brig- 
ham's  representatives  and  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment. The  substance  of  the  story  was  that  a  great  army 
was  located  in  proximity  to  the  city;  everything  was 
peaceful  as  far  as  external  appearance  would  indicate. 
A  vast  amount  of  supplies  must  be  secured  to  maintain 
this  army  and  its  large  stock  of  horses  and  mules.  In 
making  bids  for  these  supplies,  which  were  expected  to 
be  hauled  in  wagons  from  the  Missouri  River,  the  enor- 
mous prevailing  rate  of  24  to  30  cents  per  pound  must  be 
considered,  and  the  freighters  entered  into  the  competi- 
tion on  that  theory.  One  bid,  however,  was  made  by  Ben 
HoUiday  at  a  price  just  low  enough  to  ensure  the  con- 
tract on  flour  and  other  articles  that  could  be  pro- 
duced by  the  Mormons.  Brigham  Young  was  back  of 
that  bid,  against  which  there  was  no  local  competition, 
and  on  that  bid  the  contract  was  awarded.     The  Mor^ 


INSIDE  GLIMPSES  OF  MORMON  AFFAIRS  335 

mons  could  produce  the  meat  and  the  wheat  as  cheaply 
as  it  could  be  done  in  Missouri.  They  also  had  the  mills. 
The  profit  was  great. 

Thus  to  the  continuing  profit  of  the  Mormons  the  army 
of  occupation  sent  to  punish  that  people  was  maintained 
for  nearly  two  years.  A  time  finally  came  when  in 
accord  with  the  demands  of  the  people  of  the  Northern 
states  the  army  must  be  withdrawn  for  other  duties. 
The  greater  proportion  of  the  mules,  wagons,  harness,  and 
other  equipment  not  absolutely  necessary  for  the  use  of 
soldiers  on  their  hasty  return,  was  sold  at  auction  for  a 
mere  song.  Brigham  was  the  fortunate  bidder.  There 
is  one  fact  that  can  hardly  be  questioned,  namely,  that 
in  the  many  conflicts  and  controversies  which  Brigham 
Young  had  with  the  United  States  Government  or  with 
any  other  opposing  interests,  he  was  usually  the  victor  in 
diplomacy,  and  generally  ''turned  an  honest  penny"  in 
cases  where  a  less  sagacious  leader  would  have  met  with 
humihating  defeat.  But  we  must  part  with  the  elder, 
his  cheerful  home,  and  his  luscious  apricots.  Though 
not  a  Mormon,  I  must  respect  his  frankness  and  hospi- 
table welcome. 

The  troops  of  the  United  States  Government  referred 
to  by  the  elder  were  on  their  way  to  Salt  Lake  when  the 
brutal  Mountain  Meadow  Massacre  was  perpetrated,  in 
September,  1857.  This  thrilling  event  is  here  briefly 
mentioned,  because  of  its  bearing  upon  a  notable  inter- 
view with  Brigham  Young,  at  which  I  was  present,  im- 
mediately preceding  his  death,  and  which,  not  being  else- 
where published,  is  worthy  of  record  in  this  volume. 

I  frequently  heard  the  gruesome  story  of  the  massacre 
as  it  was  rehearsed  by  citizens  of  Salt  Lake,  with  many 
details,  and  on  one  occasion  in  Idaho  by  a,  lawyer,  who 


336        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

personally  knew  the  chief  participant  in  the  crime  and 
was  present  at  his  trial.  I  nevertheless  prefer  to  quote 
from  the  more  judicial  review  of  the  event  as  presented  in 
Bancroft's  history  of  Utah,  which  appears  to  be  free  from 
the  strong  bias  that  characterizes  nearly  all  writings  and 
utterances  upon  the  subject. 

The  unfortunate  victims  of  the  slaughter  consisted  of 
136  emigrants  from  Arkansas  and  Missouri.  Forney's 
report  states  that  they  had  600  cattle,  30  wagons,  and 
30  horses  and  mules.  It  was  alleged  by  some  and  denied 
by  others  that  on  their  arrival  at  Salt  Lake  in  July  the 
Mormons  declined  to  sell  them  food,  because  of  the  in- 
dignities offered  to  the  Mormons  in  Missouri. 

It  is,  however,  a  proved  fact  that  the  entire  party, 
except  17  young  children,  after  a  four  days'  siege,  was 
massacred  at  Mountain  Meadow,  300  miles  southwest  of 
the  city,  on  the  old  California  trail.  The  almost  universal 
opinion  among  the  Gentiles  has  been  that  the  deed  was 
committed  by  some  Indians  and  disguised  Mormons, 
under  the  influence  of  Mormon  authorities.  John  D. 
Lee,  a  Mormon,  and  others  were  convicted  as  being  the 
chief  actors  in  the  tragedy.  On  the  23d  of  March,  1877, 
twenty  years  after  the  massacre,  and  after  a  second  trial 
at  which  Lee  made  a  confession  of  his  guilt,  which  is 
quoted  in  Mormonism  Unveiled,  he  was  taken  to  the 
scene  of  the  butchery,  and  while  seated  on  his  rough 
coffin  heard  read  the  order  of  the  court.  The  military 
guard  did  the  rest.  At  the  time  of  his  execution  he  said, 
"I  studied  to  make  Brigham  Young's  will  my  pleasure 
for  thirty  years." 

These  confessions  of  Lee  confirmed  the  prevailing  be- 
lief that  President  Young  was  the  instigator  of  the  crime. 

Notwithstanding  all  this,  Bancroft,  in  reviewing  the 


INSIDE  GLIMPSES  OF  MORMON  AFFAIRS  337 

case,  writes:  "Indeed  it  may  as  well  be  understood  at  the 
outset  that  this  horrible  crime  so  often  and  so  persistently 
charged  upon  the  Mormon  Church  and  its  leaders,  was 
the  crime  of  an  individual,  the  crime  of  a  fanatic  of  the 
worst  stamp,  one  who  was  a  member  of  the  Mormon 
Church,  but  of  whose  intentions  the  church  knew 
nothing,  and  whose  bloody  acts  the  members  of  the 
church  high  and  low  regard  with  as  much  abhorrence  as 
any  out  of  the  church." 

The  Mormons  denounce  the  Mountain  Meadow 
Massacre  and  every  act  connected  therewith  as  earnestly 
and  as  honestly  as  any  in  the  outside  world.  This  is 
abundantly  proved  and  may  be  accepted  as  a  historic 
fact. 

The  execution  of  Lee  caused  many  reviews  of  the 
massacre  and  comments  on  it  to  appear  in  Eastern  jour- 
nals. At  the  same  time  Ann  Eliza  Webb,  the  last  wife 
of  Young,  and  one  who  had  abandoned  him,  was  in 
Michigan  lecturing  in  unqualified  terms,  as  an  angered 
woman  is  able  to  do,  against  the  Mormon  hierarchy.  Her 
statements,  which  were  widely  published,  were  read  with 
avidity.  Brigham  Young's  days  were  nearly  ended,  and 
although  until  within  a  few  days  prior  to  his  death  he  at- 
tended to  much  of  his  business  affairs,  he  was  usually 
confined  to  his  home  by  what  proved  to  be  his  last  illness. 

Melville  D.  Landon,  better  known  by  his  nom-de- 
plume  "Eli  Perkins,"  was  at  this  time  on  a  lecture  trip 
to  California  and  was  also  a  correspondent  for  a  widely 
circulated  Eastern  journal.  He  stopped  for  a  day  in  Salt 
Lake  Citjs  chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  securing  an  inter- 
view with  President  Young  on  those  matters  then  so 
prominently  before  the  American  people,  that  he  might 
give  his  story  to  the  pages  of  his  journal.     The  permis- 


338        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

sion  was  granted.  Eli  was  known  as  a  florid  writer  and 
as  given  somewhat  to  romancing  and  to  a  certain  type 
of  humor,  and  all  knew  the  kind  of  material  that  he  was 
seeking.  H.  B.  Clawson,  a  son-in-law  of  the  President, 
and  a  man  prominent  in  the  commercial  and  social  aflFairs 
of  Utah,  with  John  W.  Young,  son  of  the  President,  and 
one  of  his  councillors,  were  to  escort  the  journalist  to  the 
President's  home.  Being  then  in  the  city,  I  was  invited 
by  Mr.  Clawson  and  Mr.  Young  to  meet  them  and  ac- 
company them  to  the  President's  room.  This  party  of 
four  persons  arrived  promptly  at  the  appointed  hour  and 
at  once  were  ushered  into  Brigham  Young's  private 
apartment,  where  the  President  was  in  waiting,  comfort- 
ably propped  up  in  a  large  easy  chair. 

It  had  been  eleven  years  since  I  had  last  met  Brigham 
Young,  but  his  remarkable  memory  enabled  him  promptly 
to  bring  to  his  mind  events  connected  with  our  relations 
of  1866,  when  he  was  still  Young  and  I  was  younger. 

Although  he  fully  comprehended  what  were  likely  to 
be  the  subjects  to  be  presented,  and  that  they  were  of  a 
strictly  personal  and  highly  serious  nature,  and  notwith- 
standing his  illness,  he  was  cheerful.  In  fact,  he  stated 
to  his  son  that  he  preferred,  even  under  the  existing 
adverse  conditions,  to  give  his  own  reply  to  any  ques- 
tions, rather  than  to  have  a  journalist  report  that  he 
feared  to  face  the  issue. 

After  the  usual  greetings,  the  President  asked  us  to  be 
seated,  and  addressing  the  correspondent,  said:  "Mr. 
Landon,  I  understand  that  you  desire  to  ask  me  some 
questions.  What  are  they.'"  Thus  was  introduced  an  in- 
terview which  continued  more  than  three  hours  by  the 
clock.  Eli,  addressing  the  President  said,  "Mr.  Young, 
you  have  doubtless  read  some  of  the  statements  which 


INSIDE  GLIMPSES  OF  MORMON  AFFAIRS  339 

are  being  made  by  your  wife,  Ann  Eliza  Webb,  in  her 
lectures  in  the  East.  I  would  be  pleased  to  secure  for  my 
journal  any  statement  that  you  are  willing  to  make  con- 
cerning her."  Brigham  at  once  proceeded  in  a  vigorous 
and  animated  tone  of  voice  to  give  a  history  of  Ann 
Eliza's  career  from  the  time  of  her  birth  in  Illinois,  and 
finally  her  divorce  from  her  first  husband,  her  infidelity, 
her  excommunication  from  the  Church,  and  his  reasons 
why  the  statements  that  she  was  making  were  to  be  taken 
as  those  of  a  perverse  woman  who  was  angry  because  her 
life  and  character  had  not  been  approved  by  her  people 
in  Utah. 

"She  went  off  in  a  rage,"  the  President  added,  "and 
as  her  life  was  a  sorrow  to  us,  we  are  glad  that  she  is  gone." 

After  a  few  more  interrogatories  concerning  the  re- 
bellious Ann  Eliza,  which  were  duly  answered,  Eli  pro- 
pounded a  question  of  a  still  more  searching  and  serious 
nature.  It  was  a  long  question  with  reference  to  the  re- 
cent execution  of  John  D.  Lee  and  the  published  reports, 
confirmed  by  Lee's  confession,  that  authorities  high  in 
the  church  instigated  and  directed  the  ^Mountain  Mead- 
ows Massacre.  It  was  naturally  understood  prior  to  the 
interview  that  a  review  of  that  event  would  be  called  for, 
but  the  manner  in  which  the  subject  was  introduced  by 
Landon,  and  his  apparent  unfamiliarity  with  the  history 
of  the  event,  roused  the  latent  energy  of  the  President; 
whereupon  as  a  preliminary  he  raised  his  head  from  his 
pillow  and  asked  Eli  a  few  questions  with  the  view  to 
ascertain  what  knowledge,  if  any,  the  interviewer  had 
concerning  the  event  which  he  had  undertaken  to  in- 
vestigate. His  replies  developed  the  fact  that  Eli  was 
lamentably  ignorant  of  Mormon  history  and  that  he 
apparently  supposed  the  massacre  was  a  recent  occur- 


340        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

rence  and  not  an  event  which  had  taken  place  twenty 
years  prior  to  the  time  of  his  visit.  He  was,  therefore, 
placed  at  a  great  disadvantage. 

The  President  continuing  said:  "Mr.  Landon,  there 
has  been  a  vast  deal  written  concerning  affairs  here,  and 
some  of  the  WTiters  possibly  knew  as  little  concerning  the 
matters  which  they  have  written  about  as  you  do.  To 
enable  you  to  write  more  intelligently  than  you  otherwise 
could  concerning  this  matter,  I  must  state  some  facts 
which  are  generally  known  by  those  who  are  familiar 
with  the  history  of  Utah." 

Mr.  Young  then  in  a  skilful  manner  laid  the  foundation 
of  his  argument  and  endeavored  to  show  why  there  could 
have  been  no  motive  on  his  part  for  the  commission  of  such 
a  crime,  and  that  the  awful  massacre  was  planned  and 
carried  out  without  his  knowledge  or  approval,  and  that 
Lee's  confession,  although  reiterated  on  the  day  of  his 
execution,  was  a  falsehood  told  by  a  murderer.  Brigham, 
with  firm,  compressed  lips  continued  his  statements  until 
every  point  seemed  to  be  covered.  His  remarks  were 
directed  for  a  time  to  one  of  us  and  then  to  another,  the 
speaker  looking  squarely  and  earnestly  in  the  face  of  the 
one  addressed.  His  sons  at  times  were  especially  ad- 
dressed on  some  points.  Eli  could  hear  but  little  that 
appealed  to  his  craving  for  the  humorous. 

This  once  strong  man,  who  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven 
years  was  now  making  his  last  published  declaration  be- 
fore he  should  pass  on  to  receive  the  final  judgment  of  his 
Maker,  said  that  John  D.  Lee's  words  concerning  him, 
which  were  made  in  the  presence  of  his  executioners, 
were  false.  With  this  the  long  interview  ended.  Presi- 
dent Young  sank  back  upon  his  pillow,  weary  from  the 
protracted  discussion,  after  which  we  quietly  departed. 


MORMON  HOMES  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE      341 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  29th  of  August,  1877,  but  a 
brief  time  after  our  visit,  Brigham  Young's  earthly 
career  ended. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

MORMON  HOMES   AND    SOCIAL    LIFE 

IN  the  older  days,  when  polygamy  was  a  recognized 
institution  in  Utah,    there  was  much  in  the  organi- 
zation of  a  Mormon  home    that  was  calculated   to 
excite  interest,  bordering  on  curiosity,    in  the  minds 
of  many,  who  have  regarded  such  complex  do- 
mestic relations  as  peculiar  to  the  luxurious  life  in  an 
Oriental  harem. 

This  curiosity  was  intensified  by  sensational  statements 
made  in  the  East, — chiefly  by  women,  but  in  some  cases 
by  men,  who  had  renounced,  and  later  denounced,  Mor- 
monism.  It  is  quite  possible  that  the  stilted  dignity  of 
some  officials,  the  eager  search  for  the  sensational,  which 
had  characterized  the  rude  intrusion  of  some  writers,  and 
the  pronounced  antagonism  of  the  greater  number  of 
Gentile  residents,  prevented  such  persons  from  entering 
the  Mormon  homes,  except  to  find  their  members  very 
reserved  and  in  no  frame  of  mind  to  disclose  the  inner  life 
of  the  family. 

There  also  seemed  to  be  a  hidden  mystery  connected 
with  the  secret  religious  rites  of  the  Endowment  House 
which  were  said  by  many  persons  to  be  both  solemn  and 
indelicate,  and  extended  through  three  degrees  with  a 
symbolic  ritual  quite  as  elaborate  as  that  which  is  used 
in  Masonry. 

In  the  earlier  days  in  Salt  Lake  City,  this  ceremony  was 
performed  in  a  large  adobe  structure,  known  as  the  En- 
dowment House,  but  since  the  completion  of  the  Temple, 
it  had  been  held  in  the  Temple  Building.  As  none  but 
the  elect  are  permitted  to  enter  those  sacred  precincts, 

342 


MORMON  HOMES  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE      343 

we  must  obtain  our  information  from  persons  who, 
although,  perhaps,  pledged  to  secrecy,  are  nevertheless 
now  willing  to  reveal  the  facts.  An  estimable  old  lady, 
who  is  held  in  high  regard  by  all  her  neighbors,  but  who 
is  now  no  longer  a  Mormon,  has  told  me  all  that  she  could 
remember  of  the  trying  ordeal,  and  has  shown  me  the 
robe  which  she  w^ore  in  this  ceremony  through  which  she 
passed,  after  she  left  the  State  of  New  York  with  her 
parents,  and  joined  with  the  Saints  in  the  far  West.  She 
has  preserved  the  robe  more  than  forty  years. 

The  rite,  which  may  properl3^  be  termed  confirmation, 
was  performed  upon  this  young  lady  (as  such  religious 
ceremonies  usually  are)  through  parental  influence  and 
through  the  advice  of  church  officers.  She  believed  it  to 
be  her  religious  duty  to  enter  the  Endowment  House,  but 
she  was  thoroughly  uninformed  concerning  the  nature  of 
what  she  should  there  see  or  do,  and  for  which,  being  a 
helpless  subject,  she  was  not  responsible,  although  for 
sixteen  years  thereafter  she  accepted  the  revelation  of 
the  Mormon  prophets  and  for  years  was  a  faithful  Mor- 
mon wife.  It  would  appear  from  her  frank  narration 
that  there  was  nothing  in  the  ceremony,  itself,  that  justi- 
fies the  malicious  gossip.  I  have  heard  from  many  un- 
informed persons,  that  some  features  of  the  ceremony  are 
indecent,  and  that  its  secrecy  is  intended  simply  to  con- 
ceal rites  which  would  be  flagrantly  offensive,  if  per- 
formed in  the  presence  of  intimate  friends  or  of  the  family. 

Mrs.  Stenhouse,  who  has  written  at  length  upon  this 
subject,  confirms  the  statement  that  while  "The  elaborate 
ceremonial  seems  ridiculously  absurd,  there  is  nothing 
in  it  that  is  immoral."  My  informant  regarded  the  cere- 
mony as  being  sometimes  woefully  solemn,  often  thrilling, 
but  exceedingly  fatiguing  because  of  the  many  hours  re- 


B44        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

quired  to  pass  through  each^  degree.  Her  baptisnij  ac- 
cording to  Mormon  practise,  was  by  immersion.  She 
wore  a  loose  white  robe,  extending  to  the  ankles,  and 
leaving  one  arm  free.  A  linen  belt  encircled  the  waist. 
She  was  anointed  with  olive  oil.  She  passed  the  cere- 
mony of  purification,  and  was  then  led  into  a  representa- 
tion of  the  Garden  of  Eden,  from  which  time  no  members 
of  her  family  were  present.  This  long  ceremony  ended 
the  first  degree.  Having  been  driven  from  the  garden 
and  its  temptations,  the  novice  receives  secret  signs  and 
passwords  and  unites  in  solemn  oaths,  and  finally  passes 
beyond  the  veil.  The  remainder  of  the  ceremony  seemed 
to  be  simple  and  uninteresting. 

It  hardly  seems  necessary  to  attempt  an  explanation 
of  the  so-called  Celestial  marriages,  or  marriages  for 
eternity,  as  distinguished  from  marriages  made  simply 
for  life,  and  which  have  been  the  subject  of  much  ridicule 
because  of  the  peculiar  situation  that  arises  when  the  two 
relations  are  held  successively  by  two  different  husbands. 
I  should  prefer  to  leave  this  occult  mystery  in  the  state 
in  which  it  has  already  been  left  by  writers  who  have,  per- 
haps satisfactorily  to  themselves,  endeavored  to  give  it 
a  clear  presentation. 

The  ethics  of  polygamy,  and  the  authority  for  its 
adoption,  as  I  have  heard  it  set  forth  by  the  Mormon 
prophet,  are  exhaustively  presented  by  Bancroft  in  his 
history  of  Utah.  Some  very  thoughtful  comments  in  a 
kindly,  though  not  approving  vein,  are  made  by  the  much 
esteemed  Bishop  Tuttle  in  his  interesing  work  Reminis- 
cences of  a  Missionary  Bishop. 

Rather  than  devote  space  to  an  attempted  exposition 
of  this  much  discussed  doctrine,  let  us  visit  some  of  the 
several    homes    with    which    we    were    once    somewhat 


MORMON  HOMES  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE      345 

familiar.     There  are  two  waves  in  the  household  where 
we  are  first  to  be  received.    We  enter  the  hall,  which  is  a 
customary  feature  of  the  homes,  and  learning  that  our 
looked  for  host  is  with  his  wife,  Sister  Maria,  in  the  sit- 
ting-room at  the  right,  we  are  conducted  to  that  apart- 
ment, and  find  that  entire  branch  of  the  family,  including 
the  three  children,  gathered  there.     In  Utah  the  women 
are  present,  as  in  any  American  home,  and  enter  freely 
into  the  conversation  wdth  their  husbands  and  guests. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  home   we   are  now  visiting  that 
would  suggest  luxury  or  any  tendency  tow^ard  high  living. 
I  observed  a  Bible  and  Book  of  Mormon  lying  upon  a 
table  near  where  I  sat.     Doubtless  a  copy  of  Doctrines 
and  Covenants  is  near  at  hand,  as  one  is  usually  found  in 
every  loyal  Mormon  home.     A  picture  of  the  Martyred 
Prophet,  also  one  of  President  Young,  hang  upon  the 
walls.     Doors   communicate   between    the   sitting-room 
and  bed-rooms.     Another  door  communicates  with  the 
dining-room,  which  is  at  the  rear  of  the  hall,  and  is  used 
in  common  by  both  branches  of  the  family. 

After  half  an  hour  spent  in  conversation,  we  all  pass 
across  the  hall  to  Sister  Ellen's  apartment,  where  we  find 
almost  an  exact  duplication  of  the  rooms  we  first  entered. 
Sister  Ellen  is  somewhat  younger  than  Maria,  and  but 
two  children  have  as  yet  blessed  that  alliance.  Belong- 
ing to  a  people  of  simple  habits,  the  wives  are  trained  to 
habits  of  industry,  and  attend  to  all  the  domestic  duties 
of  the  home.  The  dress  of  the  women  is,  therefore,  very 
plain. 

WTiile  it  may  be  true  that  the  relations  between  the 
two  branches  of  this  family  are  as  variable  as  are  those  of 
average  Gentile  families  in  our  cities  who  live  in  connect- 
ing flats,  and  who,  when  company  is  present,  usually 


346        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

appear  to  be  on  terms  of  perfect  amity  one  with  another, 
and  that  this  Mormon  home  has  its  conflicts,  yet  it  must 
be  admitted  that  there  is  now  a  peaceful  atmosphere,  and 
the  children,  who  are  sometimes  a  social  barometer,  pass 
freely  from  one  apartment  to  the  other. 

Another  friend,  a  merchant,  invites  us  to  call.  He  also 
happens  to  have  exactly  two  wives,  both  of  whom,  but  at 
different  times,  I  have  since  entertained  with  their  hus- 
band in  my  Eastern  home.  This  gentleman  enjoyed  the 
luxury  of  two  very  well  appointed  homes,  separated  by 
about  fifty  feet  of  lawn,  in  each  of  which  was  housed  one 
branch  of  his  family.  He  frankly  informed  me  that  he 
devoted  each  alternate  week  to  each  family.  I  remarked 
that  this  plan  must  occasion  considerable  moving  of  his 
own  personal  effects. 

"Oh  no,"  he  replied.  "It  is  easy  enough,  but  I  think 
things  go  a  little  smoother  when  each  woman  has  her  own 
home." 

I  observed,  however,  that  wife  number  one  ran  over  in 
a  pleasant  and  familiar  way,  and  joined  in  our  visit.  The 
husband  said  that  he  honestly  and  conscientiously 
divided  his  time  between  his  two  families.  These  women 
were  refined,  and  had  profited  by  better  educational  ad- 
vantages than  were  afforded  the  greater  number  of  peo- 
ple whom  I  had  met  in  Utah. 

It  would  be  strange  indeed  if  an  indication  of  partiality 
or  preference  for  either  wife  by  her  husband  would  not 
arouse  some  feelings  of  resentment,  and  possibly  jealousy, 
in  the  heart  of  the  other. 

I  once  asked  one  bright  lady  if  she  really  favored  the 
idea  of  a  plurality  of  wives. 

"Yes,"  she  replied  slowly,  and  then  added,  "but  it  is 
because  it  is  God's  will.  I  would  prefer  to  have  a  whole 
husband." 


^  -^il 


MORMON  HOMES  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE      347 

To  me  this  reply  seemed  to  be  a  fair  statement  of  the 
attitude  of  Mormon  women  toward  polygamy. 

During  nearly  all  of  our  sojourn  in  the  city  our  vener- 
able and  beloved  traveling  companion,  Deacon  Simeon 
E.  Cobb,  had  been  in  another  Mormon  home  very  ill. 
It  was  a  home,  however,  in  which  there  was  but  one  wife, 
and  which  I  frequently  visited.  On  the  10th  of  October, 
the  Deacon  peacefully  passed  away.  All  of  the  members 
of  our  party  were  summoned  to  the  city,  and  on  the 
following  day  we  laid  him  in  a  cemetery,  situated  away 
up  near  Camp  Douglass,  and  overlooking  the  entire 
Jordan  Valley.  There  was  no  clergyman  in  the  city  to 
assist  in  the  obsequies.  The  Reverend  Norman  McLeod 
was  then  on  his  Eastern  trip  already  referred  to.  Deacon 
Cobb's  Mormon  home  had  been  a  comfortable  asylum 
in  his  days  of  suffering,  and  he  had  said,  previous  to  his 
death,  that  the  good  wdfe  who  attended  him  had  been  an 
angel  of  mercy. 

I  will  allow  those  writers  who  have  met  bad  women 
among  the  Mormons  to  give  their  own  experiences.  Per- 
sonally I  have  met  none  who  did  not  seem  to  be  moral  and 
true  to  the  fundamental  principles  that  underlie  Christian 
character,  as  they  understood  them. 

Some  \\Titings  that  I  have  perused  comment  on  the  race 
deterioration  of  this  people,  as  the  result  of  polygamy. 
In  theory  one  would  expect  such  a  result,  and  the  practice, 
doubtless,  has  produced  its  effects.  However,  from  per- 
sonal observation  I  am  unable  to  discover  wherein  the 
children  in  Utah  appear  to  be  materially  different  from 
those  in  other  parts  of  our  country,  though  in  Salt  Lake 
City  there  is  a  mixed  population  composed  of  Danes, 
Norwegians,    Swedes,    English,    native    Americans    and 


348        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

other  industrious  people.  This  is  not  an  apology  for  the 
abhorrent  practice  of  polygamy;  but  it  must  be  supposed 
that  temperance,  industry,  and  the  recognized  value  of 
other  good  habits,  as  prescribed,  and  fairly  well  observed 
by  the  Mormons  are  sure  to  produce  more  favorable  re- 
sults than  are  the  rapid  and  dissipated  careers  of  many 
children  of  fortune,  who  are  so-called  leaders  in  American 
social  life. 

The  facilities  for  education,  the  libraries,  the  oppor- 
tunities provided  for  wholesome  amusement,  and  the  de- 
velopment in  music,  were  certainly  on  as  advanced  a 
scale  as  were  those  in  any  part  of  our  Western  States  or 
territories  in  that  day.  The  University  of  Deseret,  legal- 
ized by  their  Legislature  Assembly,  was  opened  in  Novem- 
ber, 1850,  and  provided  for  free  admission  to  students. 
In  it  the  use  of  tobacco  and  intoxicants  was  especially  in- 
terdicted. The  work  of  the  institution  was  discon- 
tinued during  the  war  because  of  insufficient  funds,  and 
it  was,  therefore,  not  in  operation  during  my  first  visit. 
It  was  re-opened  in  1867. 

Brigham  encouraged  music  and  the  drama.  The  large 
and  well-trained  choir  in  the  Tabernacle  is  even  to  this 
day  an  attraction  for  visitors.  Theatrical  performances 
were  regularly  given  from  the  earliest  days  of  the  Mor- 
mon settlement.  In  an  address  delivered  by  Brigham  in 
1852,  he  is  quoted  in  the  History  of  Brigham  Young, 
MS.  of  that  year,  as  stating,  with  reference  to  dancing 
and  theatricals, —  "These  pastimes  give  me  a  privilege  to 
throw  everything  off  and  shake  myself  that  my  body  may 
exercise  and  my  mind  rest."  Their  dancing  parties 
were,  therefore,  conducted  under  the  supervision  of 
church  officers,  and  it  was  said  that  they  were  opened 
with  prayer. 


MORMON  HOMES  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE      349 

The  fine  Salt  Lake  Theater  building  was  in  use  at  the 
time  of  our  visit  in  1866,  and  was  practically  unchanged 
in  1910,  except  (as  I  observed)  that  opera-chairs  were 
substituted  for  long  seats  in  the  main  part  of  the  audi- 
torium. 

An  excellent  stock  company,  in  which  three  of  the 
president's  daughters  were  regular  members,  appeared 
at  this  theater  two  nights  each  week.  No  dramatic 
entertainments  were  given  there  on  other  nights.  The 
president  regularly  occupied  his  box  at  the  right  of  the 
stage  in  company  with  one  wife,  who  was  said  then  to  be 
his  favorite, — the  other  wives  occupying  their  regular 
seats,  side  by  side,  in  two  long  rows  in  the  parquet.  All 
the  wives  were  usually  present.  Gentiles  were  expected 
to  sit  in  the  circles  and  galleries  above.  The  entertain- 
ment and  other  features  of  the  performances  in  the 
theater  partook  of  the  nature  of  family  gatherings.  The 
parquet  afforded  opportunities  for  social  greetings  among 
the  Saints,  and  between  the  acts  presented  an  animated 
scene.  Laura  Keene,  Maggie  Mitchell,  the  Irvins,  Phelps 
and  other  stars  of  the  day,  were  introduced  from  time  to 
time.  The  auditorium  was  said  to  have  a  seating  ca- 
pacity of  more  than  2,500. 

As  examples  of  the  plays  presented,  all  of  which  I  wit- 
nessed, may  be  mentioned,  Gilderoy,  Camilla  s  Husband, 
Brother  Bill  &  Me,  Robert  McCaire,  As  Like  as  Two  Peas, 
Women'' s  Love,  Extremes,  Love  Knot,  Deaf  as  a  Post,  The 
Old  Chateau,  Charles  XII  King  of  Sweden,  Jeremy  Did- 
dler,  Grimaldi,  or  Perfection,  The  Robbers,  Barney  the 
Baron,  Advertising  for  a  Wife,  and  Marble  Heart,  written 
by  Mr.  Sloan,  a  local  playwright. 

With  but  few  exceptions,  these  were  well  presented. 
It  is  my  belief  that  at  no  time  have  the  Mormons  al- 


350        THE  AWx\KENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

lowed  to  be  presented  upon  their  stage  any  plays  of  the 
shameful  and  disgraceful  tj^pe  so  popular  at  many  of  our 
Eastern  and  further  Western  places  of  amusement. 

On  a  recent  visit  to  Salt  Lake,  I  was  escorted  by  a 
mother  in  Israel,  whom  I  had  long  known,  to  the  old 
home  of  Brigham  Young,  in  the  front  part  of  which  I  had 
been  received  many  years  before.  His  daughter,  Zina,  now 
a  matron  well  advanced  in  years,  presides  over  that  build- 
ing, which  is  now  used  as  an  industrial  school  for  girls. 
It  was  this  Zina,  who,  forty-four  years  before,  when  a 
bright  young  girl  of  fifteen  years,  having,  with  certain  of 
her  sisters,  received  careful  training  in  elocution,  ap- 
peared upon  the  stage  of  the  Salt  Lake  City  theater  be- 
fore an  enthusiastic  and  friendly  audience  which  filled 
the  house  to  the  upper  gallery.  Her  role,  as  I  remember, 
was  not  a  prominent  one,  but  her  modest  bearing,  her 
clear  musical  voice  and  distinct  enunciation,  won  univer- 
sal commendation.  She  is  now,  as  she  doubtless  was 
then,  dignified,  earnest,  and  interesting;  but  now  she  is  a 
woman  who  seems  to  believe  that  she  has  a  mission  in  the 
training  of  young  girls  for  lives  of  usefulness. 

We  sat  in  the  old  private  room,  once  used  by  her  father, 
in  which  were  the  desk,  tables  and  closets,  not  ordinarily 
opened  to  the  public,  and  this  for  reasons  that  relic 
hunters  well  understand;  but  in  those  cabinets  were  many 
records  and  other  objects  of  interest  which  seemed  to  be 
of  historic  value. 

We  passed  back  into  the  long  hall  on  either  side  of 
which  were  rooms,  each  of  which  was  formerly  occupied 
by  one  of  President  Young's  wives.  All  of  these  rooms 
are  comparatively  small,  old-style,  and  simple  in  their 
appointments.  We  visited  the  old  dining-room,  where 
the  president  and  his  family,  including  his  many  children 


MORMON  HOMES  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE      351 

sat  at  their  meals,  using  a  single  long  table,  at  the  head 
of  which  the  president  was  accustomed  to  sit.  In 
another  room,  which  is  in  the  basement,  we  were  served 
with  an  excellent  lunch  by  the  young  ladies  of  the  do- 
mestic science  school,  who  were  courteous,  gracious,  and 
each  apparently  as  worthy  of  a  good  whole  husband  as  is 
any  daughter  that  graces  fashionable  circles  in  the  East. 

The  work  of  the  school,  to  which  Sister  Zina,  as  she 
was  called,  is  devoting  her  mature  years,  was  fully  ex- 
plained. It  is  almost  needless  to  state,  that  when  she 
had  summoned  and  introduced  David  McKenzie,  the 
venerable  manager  and  director  of  the  theater,  the  man 
who  had  presented  her  to  her  first  audience  in  1866,  our 
conversation  turned  into  a  lighter  and  more  reminiscent 
vein.  We  did,  however,  speak  of  the  trials  of  her  people 
and  of  many  serious  matters  already  referred  to  in  these 
chapters,  and  of  some  incidents  which,  though  interest- 
ing, would  require  more  space  if  mentioned  at  all,  than 
could  here  be  given  them.  But  Sister  Zina  is  loyal  to  her 
father's  memory. 

In  March,  1912,  the  curtain  fell  and  closed  the  last  act 
in  McKenzie's  life.  He  was  a  devout  Mormon,  had  often 
preached  in  the  tabernacle  and  maintained  local  dramatic 
art  along  high  moral  lines. 

Gibbon  classes  among  the  most  furious  sectaries  of 
religion  much  persecuted,  such  Christians  as  the  Hus- 
sites of  Bohemia,  the  Calvinists  of  France  and  the  Pau- 
licians  of  America  in  the  ninth  century,  but  he  was  too 
just  a  historian  to  put  all  their  leaders  outside  the  pale  of 
worthy  citizenship. 

So  when  I  have  sat  in  the  presence  of  the  venerable 
Mrs.  Emeline  B.  Wells,  now  85  years  of  age,  I  have  al- 
ways been  inspired  with  profound  respect  for  her  noble 


352        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

character  and  high  culture.  She  was  an  early  Mormon 
pioneer  and  is  still  editor  of  "The  Woman's  Exponent," 
an  accomplished  writer  and  conversationalist. 

When  I  read  her  exquisite  poem  "The  Wife  to  the  Hus- 
band," I  am  led  to  the  conviction  that  whatever  there 
may  be  wrong  in  Mormon  teachings  there  are  women 
among  that  people  who  have  exalted  conceptions  of  do- 
mestic relations. 

In  the  old  days  the  Tithing  House  was  a  large  adobe 
structure  situated  near  the  Tabernacle,  where  was  re- 
ceived in  kind  a  tenth  of  the  surplus,  as  a  consecration, 
and  after  that,  one  tenth  of  the  increase  or  earnings  an- 
nually. The  earliest  revelations  to  Joseph  Smith  in  1831, 
commanding  the  payment  of  tithes,  are  quoted  in  Times 
and  Seasons,  Vols.  IV  and  V.  The  later  alleged  revela- 
tions and  instructions  are  published  in  the  several 
Mormon  journals. 

The  present  offices  of  the  church  are  now  installed  in  a 
large  and  well-appointed  building,  which  is  as  complete 
as  are  the  offices  of  any  other  great  modern  financial 
institution.  As  one  passes  by  the  bookkeepers  into  the 
vaults  and  directors'  room  it  seems  as  if  one  were  visiting 
the  headquarters  of  a  huge,  well-ordered  business  corpora- 
tion. 

It  is  not  strange  that  many  of  the  active  men,  who  were 
at  the  front  in  Mormon  affairs  half  a  century  ago,  are  no 
longer  seen  on  the  streets  of  Salt  Lake  City.  Time,  how- 
ever, has  dealt  kindly  with  the  now  venerable  Hiram  B. 
Clawson,  twice  son-in-law  of  Brigham,  a  man  once  quite 
as  prominent  as  any  other  in  the  social,  business,  and 
military  life  of  Utah.  In  the  panic  of  1873  he  was  sent 
East  with  H.  S.  Eldredge  to  arrange  an  extension  of  the 
obligations  of  Zion's  Mercantile  Institution,  of  which 


MORMON  HOMES  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE      353 

he  was  then  superintendent.  His  work  was  conducted 
with  success,  and  in  less  than  eight  months  the  entire 
liabihty,  amounting  to  $1,100,000,  was  fully  paid,  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  it  being  transmitted  through  the 
firm  of  which  I  was  a  member.  He  finally  stated  that 
the  losses  of  the  Company  at  that  time,  through  bad 
debts,  did  not  exceed  one-fourth  of  one  per  cent,  which 
was  as  decisive  an  indication  of  the  integrity  of  the  people 
as  could  easily  have  been  found  anywhere  in  that  calami- 
tous year.  In  my  last  interview  with  the  old  gentleman 
we  discussed  this  experience,  as  well  as  our  memorable 
interview  with  Brigham  Young,  already  reported  in 
another  chapter. 

The  practice  of  polygamy  is  rapidly  declining  among 
the  Mormons  in  Utah.  In  response  to  the  demands  of  the 
Saints  themselves.  Congress,  in  1862,  and  again  in  1882, 
enacted  laws  which  it  was  hoped  would  remedy  the  evil. 
The  law  of  1862,  known  as  the  Edmunds  Act,  declared 
such  cohabitation  to  be  a  misdemeanor.  Nevertheless, 
within  the  past  six  years  I  have  been  sheltered  in  a  Mor- 
mon home,  located  somewhat  outside  of  the  Utah  line, 
where  three  women  were  present  as  the  wives  of  the  host. 

Whatever  may  be  the  relations  between  husband  and 
wives,  there  can  be  no  perfectly  amicable  relations  be- 
tween the  Mormons  and  other  people  in  our  country 
while  these  conditions  continue.  There  is  to  this  day 
an  undisguisable  sentiment  of  distrust  of  each  other  on 
the  part  of  both  Mormon  and  Gentile  elements  in  Utah, 
the  like  of  which  does  not  seem  to  exist  between  adherents 
of  other  religious  faiths  in  our  country. 

This  statement  leads  us  to  consider  what  seems  to  be 
the  fundamental  cause  of  the  greater  part  of  the  Mormon 
suffering  and  trials  in  the  years  gone  by,  and  of  their  many 


354        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

conflicts  with  national  and  state  governments,  for  which 
the  mass  of  that  people  are  certainly  not  responsible. 

Orson  Pratt,  the  Apostle,  said  "There  can  be  but  one 
perfect  government — that  organized  by  God — a  govern- 
ment by  apostles,  prophets,  priests,  teachers,  and  evan- 
gelists." 

We  read  in  the  Millennial  Star,  (a  church  organ)  1844, 
reasons  why  Joseph  Smith,  the  prophet,  should  be  and 
logically  was  the  president  of  the  United  States.  In  that 
year  he  was  formally  announced  as  a  candidate  for  that 
office  (see  Times  and  Seasons,  June,  1844).  By  virtue  of 
his  supremacy  in  the  church  he  was  also  at  the  same  time 
Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion,  and  Mayor 
of  the  City  of  Nauvoo. 

The  reign  of  King  Strang,  referred  to  in  another  chap- 
ter, was  a  theocracy,  and  was  in  harmony  with  the  Mor- 
mon precedent  established  by  the  first  prophet. 

"I  am  and  will  be  governor,  and  no  power  can  hinder 
it,"  were  the  words  used  by  Brigham  Young  in  a  dis- 
course in  the  Tabernacle,  1853,  as  quoted  by  Bancroft 
in  his  History  of  Utah,  page  481. 

The  assumption  of  civil  authority  by  the  Roman 
Pontiffs  in  the  Middle  Ages,  as  a  divine  right,  was  not 
more  autocratic  than  was  the  attempted  usurpation  of 
civil  and  religious  sovereignty  by  the  men  whose  words 
and  acts  are  hereinbefore  set  forth. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  Divine  revelation  of  more  recent 
date  than  that  which  was  alleged  to  have  come  to  Joseph 
Smith  on  Cumorah  Hill  is  believed  to  have  come  to  an 
American  woman,  and  this  later  revelation  is  honestly 
accepted,  and  its  inspired  author  is  revered  by  thousands 
of  good  and  intelligent  men  and  women,  it  is  not  surpris- 
ing if  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  other  prophetic  deliver- 


MORMON  HOMES  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE      355 

ances  alleged  to  have  been  received  from  time  to  time  in 
the  dramatic  and  mysterious  manner  that  appeals  to  the 
credulous,  should  also  be  accepted  and  obeyed  by  the 
faithful. 

If  the  many  revelations  and  commands  published  to 
the  Mormon  people  through  the  medium  of  their  proph- 
ets be  accepted  and  obeyed,  and  all  under  the  honest 
conviction  that  such  revelations  are  of  divine  origin,  it 
necessarily  follows  that  the  Mormon  hierach  that  issues 
such  decrees  is  the  arbiter  and  guide  of  Mormon  conduct. 
The  Mormon  laity  believed  that  these  supposed  divine 
commands  emanate  from  a  higher  source  than  do  the 
acts  of  Congress,  and  that  civil  authority  is  centered  in 
the  head  of  their  Church.  It  would,  therefore,  be  bru- 
tally illogical  to  lay  upon  the  women  of  Utah  any  un- 
necessary burdens  of  censure  for  their  violation  of  Con- 
gressional and  other  secular  enactments  before  mentioned, 
especially  as  they  have  not  profited  but  only  suffered 
from  the  violation  dictated  and  enforced  by  conscience. 
None  the  less  it  remains  true  that  Mormon  rule  and  prac- 
tise are  not  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  and  genius  of 
American  institutions,  neither  can  they  be  until  the  laws 
of  the  land,  which  they  have  a  part  in  framing,  are  un- 
reservedly recognized  and  obeyed. 

A  defection  in  the  Mormon  Church,  led  by  Joseph 
Smith,  Junior,  then  in  Piano,  Illinois,  was  the  subject  of 
much  controversy  during  our  visit.  These  dissenters 
were  known  as  Josephites.  Their  creed,  denouncing 
polygamy  and  declaring  that  Brigham  Young  had 
apostatized  from  the  true  faith,  is  set  forth  in  Waite's 
The  Mormon  Prophet. 

Much  of  the  merchandise  that  was  on  our  incoming  ox 
train  was  consigned  to  William  S.  Godbe,  who  was  at  the 


356        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

head  of  the  so-called  Godbeite  movement,  for  which  re- 
volt he  and  others  were  ex-communicated  and  "delivered 
over  to  the  buffetings  of  Satan"  "for  the  period  of  1000 
years,"  which  seemed  to  be  the  approved  conventional 
term  of  buffeting  to  which  recusants  from  the  Orthodox 
Mormon  Church  were  uniformly  condemned.  Whether 
any  abridgment  of  this  millennium  might  be  expected  in 
recognition  of  good  behavior,  seems  never  to  have  been 
revealed  even  to  the  most  highly  favored. 

In  opposition  to  Brigham's  policy,  Mr.  Godbe  had 
strongly  urged  the  development  of  mining  in  Utah, — a 
fact  that  might  have  recommended  him  to  the  friendly 
consideration  of  the  accomplished  Buffeter,  who  is 
thought  to  take  much  interest  at  least  in  coal  mining. 

It  was  on  the  evening  of  October  8th,  immediately 
after  my  return  from  a  trip  to  the  mountains,  that  I  was 
invited  to  a  conference  with  Governor  Charles  Durkee, 
Judge  Fields,  and  Dr.  O.  H.  Conger,  at  which  time 
among  other  topics  were  discussed  the  perplexing  state 
of  political  affairs  in  the  territory  and  the  situation  with 
reference  to  mining  industries. 

At  that  time  Dr.  Conger  was  developing  in  the  interest 
of  other  parties  a  promising  silver  mine,  which  Godbe  in- 
vestigated with  some  care.  It  was  located  up  in  the 
Wasatch  range,  at  the  head  of  Little  Cottonwood  canyon, 
and  three  years  later  it  became  historic  and  notorious 
as  the  Emma  Mine. 

The  sale  of  it  three  years  later  to  an  English  Syndicate 
for  1,000,000  pounds  sterling  has  taken  rank  as  one  of  the 
most  prodigious  mining  swindles  on  record.  At  the  time 
of  this  sale  the  original  owners  had  parted  company  with 
the  venture.  To  give  his  younger  friend  a  view  of  the 
attractive  scenery,  I  was  invited  by  the  doctor  to  ac- 


MORMON  HOMES  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE      357 

company  him  on  a  trip  to  the  new  diggings,  which  were 
up  on  the  side  of  the  Twin  Peaks.  The  ride  up  that  wild 
gorge,  one  of  the  grandest  in  Utah,  was  intensely  in- 
teiesting.  The  water  race  at  the  mine,  newly  cut 
through  a  ledge  of  marble  yet  unstained  by  exposure  and 
therefore  white  as  snow,  wherein  to  conduct  the  wonder- 
fully transparent  mountain  stream,  was  a  striking  feature. 
The  whiteness  of  the  conduit  made  the  clear  water  invisi- 
ble, except  when  it  received  the  reflected  sunlight.  A 
careless  pedestrian  might  easily  attempt  heedlessly  to 
walk  down  in  the  bottom  upon  the  marble  bed.  In 
dipping  from  the  surface  it  was  necessary  to  feel  one's 
way  to  where  the  pure  air  ended  and  the  water  began. 
The  white  marble  channel  bed  was  the  chief  cause  of  this 
uncommon  transparency.  The  miners'  cabin  built  from 
logs  of  balsam  fir,  the  berths  filled  with  twigs  from  that 
fragrant  tree,  and  the  brilliant  wood  fire  in  the  massive 
open  fireplace  in  which  were  burned  resinous  balsam 
logs,  made  the  great  room  redolent  with  a  delightful  per- 
fume, which  I  have  never  forgotten.  But  all  these  sug- 
gestions of  purity  were  smothered  later  in  the  ethically 
malodorous  transaction  already  mentioned. 

Incidentally  I  continued  the  ascent  of  the  Twin  Peaks, 
from  the  top  of  which  is  doubtless  obtained  the  finest 
possible  view  of  the  Jordan  Valley  and  Great  Salt  Lake. 
To  this  remarkable  body  of  water  a  brief  reference  seems 
appropriate.  It  has  been  so  frequently  described  that 
it  seems  proper  only  to  state  on  the  authority  of  the 
American  Encyclopedia  that  it  contains  22  per  cent  of 
Chloride  of  Sodium  (salt),  with  a  specific  gravity  ordi- 
narily of  1.17,  and  is  probably  the  purest  and  most  con- 
centrated brine  constituting  any  large  body  of  water  on 
the  globe. 


358        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Having  bathed  also  in  the  Dead  Sea  I  have  found  its 
waters  to  be  equally  transparent  and  about  equal  in 
buoyancy,  the  specific  gravity  being  about  the  same  as 
that  of  Salt  Lake.  The  most  noticeable  difference  in 
effect  is  the  prickling  sensation  and  the  smooth  oily  feel- 
ing of  the  Dead  Sea  waters,  which  are  attributed  to  the 
presence  of  nearly  3  per  cent  of  Chloride  of  Calcium;  a 
bitter  taste  is  also  imparted  by  the  more  than  10  per  cent 
of  Chloride  of  Magnesium.  The  desire  for  a  rinse  in  fresh 
water  is  strongly  felt  on  emerging  from  the  Palestinian 
Sea.  The  warm  spring,  which  as  already  stated  had  at 
one  time  been  pre-empted  by  Dr.  Robinson,  was  a  favo- 
rite resort  where  we  occasionally  took  a  plunge.  The 
waters  have  a  temperature  of  95  degrees  and  are  im- 
pregnated with  sulphur. 

During  the  summer  my  companions,  Ben  and  Fred, 
made  a  trip  to  Montana.  They  assured  me  that  the 
primary  purposes  of  their  expedition  were  business  and 
seeing  the  country  but  who  would  suppose  that  they 
would  fail  to  find  the  young  ladies  from  whom  they  had 
separated  at  the  Parting  of  the  Ways! 

Later  in  the  season  they  took  the  stage  for  San  Fran- 
cisco and  thence  sailed  for  New  York  via  Panama.  In 
the  meantime,  it  became  my  duty  to  make  a  number  of 
excursions,  some  of  which  may  be  of  sufficient  interest  to 
describe. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

The  Boarding  House  Train 

THE  boarding  house  train  of  the  older  days  was 
not  an  institution  peculiar  to  the  West  alone, 
for  we  know  that  tramp  outfits  afforded  protec- 
tion to  wanderers  in  ancient  times,  and  even 
now  in  the  Orient  and  for  an  agreed  pecuniary  considera- 
tion the  peripatetic  traveler  may  plod  along  as  best  he 
may,  or  possibly  ride  at  times,  and  have  the  dust  of  the 
train  and  the  society  and  fare  of  the  Cameleers. 

Although  more  or  less  familiar  also  with  the  mode  of 
travel  as  seen  in  the  early  immigration  to  the  west  of 
Lake  Michigan,  I  had  never  seen  anything  of  its  kind 
quite  so  picturesque  or  that  in  America  brought  together 
so  heterogeneous  a  party  of  men,  as  the  boarding-house 
train  that  I  accompanied  through  the  mountains  in 
September,  1866. 

The  time  had  arrived  when  it  was  hoped  that  our  big 
ox  train  would  be  approaching  the  mountains,  and  desir- 
ing to  meet  it  and  assist  in  bringing  it  through  the  can- 
yons, I  watched  for  an  opportunity  to  join  some  East  bound 
train.  The  late  summer  and  early  autumn  had  given  us 
time  to  dispose  of  some  merchandise  that  reached  Salt 
Lake  earlier  in  the  season,  and  I  was  now  free  to  leave 
the  city. 

Learning  of  a  small  mule  outfit  that  was  about  to  start 
for  the  Missouri  River,  I  concluded  arrangements  for 
transportation. 

This  transportation  embraced  the  so-called  "grub"  and 
the  conveniences  of  a  covered  wagon  in  which  one  might 

359 


360        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT      - 

ride  on  easy  roads,  the  expectation  being  that  the  pas- 
senger would  walk  up  the  hills  or  over  difficult  tracts. 

The  captain  of  the  outfit,  a  big,  burly  freighter,  seemed 
proud  to  have  come  from  Pike  County,  Missouri,  which 
he  stated  had  produced  the  most  distinguished  men 
whom  he  had  ever  known. 

It  had  not  been  my  privilege  to  meet  any  of  the  pas- 
sengers booked  for  this  Missouri  outfit  until  their  arrival 
at  the  corral  at  the  appointed  hour  for  starting.  In  ac- 
cordance with  the  custom  of  the  country,  each  passenger 
was  to  furnish  his  own  lodging;  in  other  words,  each 
brought  such  blankets  as  were  supposed  to  be  necessary 
for  protection  at  night.  My  bundle  was  deposited  in  the 
rear  wagon,  as  I  was  desirous  of  securing  the  advantage 
of  an  observation  car,  which  would  afford  an  unob- 
structed view  behind  us.  All  the  vehicles  were  ordinary 
large  wagons  with  canvas  covers. 

My  companions  in  that  wagon  were  two  young  men 
from  Ohio,  each  of  whom  had  recently  purchased  a 
broncho  horse,  which  he  intended  to  take  back  to  the 
States  and  incidentally  to  use  under  the  saddle,  as  he 
might  have  opportunity,  on  the  Eastward  journey. 
These  two  quadrupeds  were  haltered  to  the  rear  of  the 
last  wagon,  which  they  were  expected  to  follow.  That 
the  bronchos  might  become  gradually  accustomed  to  a 
burden  upon  their  backs,  the  young  men  had  cinched 
tightly  upon  them  their  bundles  of  blankets.  Thus 
equipped  we  rolled  out  from  the  city  up  the  terraced 
slope  of  "the  bench"  toward  the  entrance  into  Parley's 
Canyon.  (It  may  be  stated  that  the  bench  is  the  narrow 
level  tabic  land,  evidently  an  ancient  shore  line,  that 
skirts  the  foothills  of  those  mountains  and  indicates  that 
during  some  period  the  waters  in  the  valley  reached  that 
high  level) . 


^tf 


i& 


THE  BOARDING  HOUSE  TRAIN  361 

The  young  men  had  commented  favorably  on  the 
docility  of  their  bronchos,  which  had  for  a  time  followed 
the  wagon  in  a  satisfactory  manner,  and  expressed  the 
belief  that  the  animals  would  afford  great  comfort  on  the 
long  trip,  by  enabhng  them  to  take  horse-back  rides. 

On  entering  an  area  covered  with  sage  brush,  a  new 
purpose  seemed  suddenly  to  enter  the  heads  of  the  un- 
certain bronchos.  It  may  have  been  inspired  by  the 
sight  of  a  little  patch  of  grass  on  the  otherwise  arid  bench, 
or  it  may  have  been  an  innate  inclination  to  do  something 
unexpected,  an  inclination  very  characteristic  of  the 
broncho.  Suddenly  and  almost  simultaneously  they 
dropped  back  on  their  halters  and  were  soon  free  and 
making  a  flight  for  the  brush.  The  young  men  watched 
their  next  proceedings  with  dismay.  Having  reached 
an  eligible  location  in  an  open  space,  the  bronchos  at  once 
began  a  series  of  evolutions  so  interesting  that  the  train 
was  brought  to  a  halt.  In  his  favorite  pastime  of  buck- 
ing, the  broncho  has  no  peer  among  all  the  quadrupeds 
of  the  earth.  It  had  been  my  privilege  and  misfortune 
to  make  a  personal  test  of  this  form  of  amusement  and 
with  the  usual  results,  but  never  before  had  I  seen  it  so 
successfully  performed  upon  inanimate  matter,  as  on  this 
occasion  in  the  sage  brush  of  Utah. 

The  bundles  upon  the  bronchos  were  light,  and  were 
strapped  tightly  upon  them  with  double  girths.  The 
buckers  operating  closely  together  apparently  entered 
into  a  contest,  to  ascertain  which  of  the  two  could  first 
relieve  himself  of  his  impedimenta. 

While  the  train  was  at  rest,  the  boarders  and  drivers 
secured  favorable  positions,  where  they  might  witness 
the  match.     Our  captain  from  Pike  County,  Missouri, 


362        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

broke  forth  into  curses,  berating  the  intelligence  of  any 
man  who  would  buy  such  good-for-nothing  creatures,  and 
yet  he  was  the  first  person  to  assist  in  their  capture. 
Again  and  again  the  bucking  bronchos,  facing  each  other, 
repeated  their  vicious  plunges,  leaping  into  the  air  with 
heads  down  and  backs  curved  upward,  and  coming  down 
upon  their  fore  feet,  until  in  some  way  the  bundles  were 
dashed  upon  the  ground  and  their  contents  were  widely 
distributed  under  the  animals'  feet,  after  which  a  sense 
of  victory  and  freedom  seemed  to  come  over  them,  and 
only  after  a  long  pursuit  were  they  again  secured.  During 
the  time  that  I  remained  with  the  train,  no  human  being 
ventured  to  mount  the  refractory  brutes. 

The  night  came  on  as  we  turned  into  camp  near  the 
summit  of  the  canyon.  The  familiar  fragrance  of  fried 
bacon  and  coffee  was  beginning  to  pervade  the  atmos- 
phere when  the  captain  from  Pike  County  gave  the  com- 
mand to  "fall  to,"  which  was  his  method  of  announcing 
to  the  boarders  that  supper  was  served.  Drawing  around 
the  camp  fire  we  faced  the  same  old  "Menu"  and  the 
same  type  of  battered  tin  dishes  and  cutlery  that  we  had 
become  familiar  with  on  our  own  train,  except  that  the 
cooking  and  serving  paraphernalia  bore  evidences  of 
greater  antiquity  and  more  violent  service. 

We  sat  or  kneeled  upon  the  ground  in  a  sort  of  irregular 
semi-circle.  With  but  few  exceptions  each  man  was  a 
stranger  to  all  the  others.  Each  man  had  a  revolver  in 
his  belt,  and  in  most  cases  the  men  had  rifles  with  their 
effects  in  the  wagons.  Each  was  curious  to  know  where 
the  other  fellow  came  from,  and  without  much  ceremony 
the  blunt,  but  good-natured  question,  "Where  do  you 
hail  from?"  was  propounded  to  one's  neighbor  in  the 
circle.     The  roster  was  soon  completed,  and  before  we 


THE  BOARDING  HOUSE  TRAIN  363 

left  the  camp  fire  my  record  showed  that  one  of  the  party 
had  recently  closed  his  apprenticeship  under  Morgan, 
the  raider;  another,  an  ex-confederate,  was  from  Old 
Virginia;  one  was  from  the  Sandwich  Islands;  one  from 
New  Hampshire;  one  each  from  Arkansas,  South  Caro- 
lina, Michigan,  and  Wisconsin,  and  two  were  from  Mis- 
souri. Our  cook  was  a  young  Snake  Indian,  but  the 
rest  of  the  crew  had  not  yet  disclosed  any  facts  concerning 
their  life-history. 

From  the  members  of  such  a  miscellaneous  gathering 
there  came  naturally  some  sparring  and  good-natured 
reviling  tinged  at  times  with  acrimony,  for  the  bitterness 
of  the  Civil  War  had  not  yet  materially  lessened.  But 
after  the  first  parry  of  words  all  realized  that  they  were 
now  comrades  for  mutual  protection. 

A  quiet  place  was  soon  found  up  the  mountain  side, 
and  wrapping  mj^  blanket  around  me  I  watched  the 
bright  stars  until  I  fell  asleep. 

In  the  morning  we  had  a  touch  of  camp  life  that  was 
calculated  to  bring  to  the  surface  that  trait  of  character 
which  would  manifest  itself  in  an  hour  of  trial.  The 
captain  had  been  heard  to  shout  from  a  distant  point, 
where  he  was  attending  to  a  mule,  to  ask  the  young 
Indian  cook  why  in  h — 1  he  didn't  call  breakfast,  as  it  was 
time  for  the  train  to  pull  out.  The  brush  fire  had  burned 
long  enough  to  have  boiled  coffee  many  times,  but  the 
Snake  Indian  seemed  to  be  wandering  abstractedly  round 
the  wagons  as  if  searching  for  some  missing  article.  As 
the  Captain  approached  and  again  demanded  an  ex- 
planation for  the  delay,  the  boy  informed  him,  in  the  few 
English  words  at  his  command,  that  some  one  had  taken 
the  bacon.  He  declared  that  the  great  slab  of  meat  re- 
ferred to  had  on  the  night  before  been  placed  in  the 


364        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

covered  mess  box  at  the  tail  end  of  the  wagon. 

The  Captain  again  swore,  and,  with  the  air  of  a  com- 
mander of  men,  proceeded  in  his  endeavors  to  solve  the 
mystery.  Two  mules  had  been  picketed  all  night  near 
the  wagon,  and  the  Captain,  doubtless  aware  of  the  om- 
nivorous habits  of  those  amalgamated  beasts,  examined 
their  surroundings,  and  observed  squarely  under  the 
fore  feet  of  one  an  elevated  surface  that  appeared  sus- 
picious. He  backed  the  mule,  and  with  his  foot  scraped 
away  an  inch  or  two  of  dirt,  beneath  which  he  struck  the 
stratum  of  bacon,  disfigured  somewhat  by  the  heavy 
pressure  of  the  animal's  hoofs,  but  nevertheless  recog- 
nizable as  bacon.  The  mule  had  evidently,  at  some  time 
during  the  night,  hfted  the  lid  of  the  mess  box  with  his 
nose,  and  seizing  the  bacon  with  his  teeth  had  undertaken 
the  task  of  eating  it,  but  finding  some  coarser  food  better 
suited  to  his  incisors  had  abandoned  the  bacon  in  disgust, 
dropped  it  upon  the  ground,  pawed  dirt  upon  it,  and  then 
planted  his  feet  on  the  pile. 

"Here's  your  bacon,"  said  the  Captain,  with  an  oath, 
and  a  sneer  of  superiority.  "Now  hurry  up  that  break- 
fast." This  event  occurred  prior  to  the  development  of 
our  present  theory  of  germs  and  the  sterilization  of  food, 
so  vexing  to  modern  epicures. 

An  empty  stomach  needs  no  appetizing  sauce.  When 
I  have  listened  to  adverse  criticisms  concerning  dishes 
served  at  elaborately  prepared  banquets,  I  have  more 
than  once  recalled  that  breakfast  of  bacon  and  coffee  pre- 
pared by  a  Snake  Indian  cook  in  the  Wasatch  Moun- 
tains.    There  was  no  bacon  to  be  wasted. 

On  those  clear  frosty  nights  it  was  a  pleasure  to  creep 
up  the  mountain  side,  and  beneath  the  open  starry  sky 
to  roll  up  in  a  blanket  and  be  lulled  to  sleep  by  the  music 


THE  BOARDING  HOUSE  TRAIN  365 

of  streams  rushing  down  those  canyons.  Strange  as  it 
may  seem,  no  colds  ever  resulted  from  this  life  in  the 
open  air.  Every  breath  inhaled  in  the  waking  hours  or 
while  asleep,  was  of  pure  air  not  vitiated  by  exhalations 
from  the  lungs  of  others,  nor  breathed  in  part  over  and 
over  again.  This  immunity  from  colds  is  also  true  under 
some  conditions  that  might  seem  seriously  dangerous  to 
one  accustomed  only  to  the  comforts  of  ci\alized  life. 
An  example  of  this  was  afforded  on  Tuesday  evening,  the 
18th  of  September,  when  we  reached  Quaking  Asp  Hill, 
near  the  summit  of  the  Divide.  A  fine  driving  rain, 
which  extinguished  our  fires,  began  to  fall  at  dusk,  before 
we  had  finished  our  bacon  and  coffee,  and  there  were  in- 
dications of  a  cold  and  hea\n^  storm.  That  he  might 
the  better  protect  himself  against  the  elements,  the  Sand- 
wich Islander  entered  into  negotiations  to  double  our 
blankets,  a  proposal  that  was  promptly  accepted,  as  he 
was  provided  with  one  which  was  waterproof  to  place 
on  the  wet  ground.  Each  of  us  had  the  regular  double 
army  blanket  and  overcoat.  This  was  not  the  first 
rainy  night  that  I  had  spent  without  a  roof  above  me, 
but  it  was  certainly  the  wildest. 

As  the  night  advanced  and  the  wind  was  blowing 
violently,  we  naturally  turned  our  feet  toward  the  gale 
and  loaded  the  edges  of  the  blankets  with  rocks  to  hold 
them  in  place.  We  then  settled  down  to  await  the  time 
when  the  water  would  penetrate  our  clothing. 

Fortunately  the  rain  turned  into  a  driving  snow 
storm.  The  gale  veered  round  and  came  from  the  North, 
increasing  in  intensity,  and  although  our  blankets  were 
frozen,  the  wind  now  coming  toward  our  heads,  pressed 
down  between  us  and  lifted  the  covering  like  a  balloon 
until  it  found  escape  at  our  feet,  while  the  covers  waved 


366        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

and  flapped  in  the  air.  It  seemed  too  late  to  reverse 
our  position,  but  we  held  tightly  to  the  coverings  until 
the  accumulating  snow  gradually  weighted  them  down. 
The  wind  also  became  more  moderate  toward  midnight, 
but  the  snow  continued  to  fall  rapidly  until  after  we  fell 
asleep.  My  companion  and  I  had  "spooned"  as  closely 
as  possible  that  we  might  share  each  other's  warmth,  and 
if  one  was  inclined  to  turn  over  his  partner  promptly 
responded. 

I  awoke  after  daylight,  conscious  of  the  heavy  weight 
resting  upon  us.  Opening  my  eyes  I  looked  upward 
through  the  white  funnel  in  the  snow  which  had  been 
formed  by  our  breaths,  melting  the  falling  flakes,  but 
everything  was  still.  The  storm  had  ceased,  and  al- 
though the  sun  had  not  yet  risen  above  the  mountain 
peaks,  we  saw  that  a  bright  morning  was  dawning  upon 
us.  A  council  with  my  companion  led  us  to  lift  the 
blankets  with  care,  and  remove  the  weight  of  snow  that 
covered  us.  After  rising  to  a  sitting  position,  it  was  dis- 
covered that  we  were  not  alone.  Here  and  there  at 
different  points  were  undulations  on  the  brilliant  white 
surface  of  the  snow.  In  one  end  of  each  of  these  was 
the  funnel  which  told  us  that  the  warm  breath  of  the 
sleepers  had  also  preserved  for  them  an  open  view  of  the 
sky  above. 

Must  we,  as  first-class  boarders,  dig  the  walks  through 
the  snow  and  build  the  fire?  We  decided  in  the  nega- 
tive, and  accordingly  called  the  camp  to  service.  One  by 
one  snow  mounds  were  lifted  and  living  beings  arose  from 
beneath  the  thick  white  mantle.  The  Captain  had  slept 
in  his  wagon,  but  he  promptly  assumed  command. 
Preparations  were  soon  under  way  for  breakfast,  and  the 
stock  was  cared  for.     Nearly  eight  inches  of  snow  had 


THE  BOARDING  HOUSE  TRAIN  367 

fallen.  Not  a  track  was  visible  to  guide  us  along  the 
road  during  the  greater  part  of  the  following  day,  but  as 
we  descended  into  the  valleys,  there  was  but  little  snow 
upon  the  ground,  and  that  disappeared  rapidly.  Not 
one  of  our  party  "caught  cold." 

The  days  rolled  by  until  one  morning  after  we  had 
passed  Fort  Bridger,  we  met  our  long  ox  train  moving 
Westward.  It  halted  until  I  could  transfer  my  baggage, 
after  which  I  bade  a  hearty  farewell  to  the  fellow  travel- 
ers in  the  boarding-house  train.  Taking  possession 
of  a  good  saddle  horse,  I  started  Westward  again  with 
our  own  long  caravan. 

This  brings  us  to  new  experiences.  It  was  no  trifling 
matter  to  conduct  a  long  ox  train  up  and  down  the  moun- 
tain canyons,  as  will  be  discovered  later.  This  was  not 
because  it  was  difficult  to  find  the  trail,  but  it  was  be- 
cause the  trail  itself  was  often  difficult.  It  was  the  prin- 
cipal highway  through  the  ranges  of  mountains,  and  from 
Fort  Bridger  westward  was  the  regular  stage  road,  yet 
it  was  often  steep  and  dangerous.  Captain  Whitmore 
and  his  men  were  somewhat  weary,  having  had  a  hard 
trip,  and  my  services,  therefore,  seemed  to  be  very  wel- 
come. The  provisions  were  running  low.  Sugar  for 
coffee  and  soda  for  bread  were  long  since  exhausted.  In 
fact,  the  stock  of  food  was  reduced  to  flour,  bacon,  and  a 
little  coffee.  Milk  or  vegetables  were  never  obtainable, 
and  canned  goods  had  not  come  into  use.  Two  or  three 
men  who  were  with  the  train  had  endeavored  to  incite 
the  others  to  rebellion,  and  appearing  before  Captain 
Whitmore  told  him  substantially  in  the  words  once^ad- 
dressed  to  Moses  of  the  time  when  back  in  the  States, 
"They  sat  by  the  flesh  pots  and  did  eat  bread  to  theiull," 
but  now  they  could  not  get  a  square  meal  in  the  wilder- 


368        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

ness.  It  appears  that  these  mutineers  were  recognized 
by  their  companions  as  wasteful,  shiftless  men,  too  proud 
and  lazy  to  work  when  at  home.  From  Whitmore's 
rulings  there  would  be  no  appeal  in  that  country,  except 
to  the  law  of  force.  There  were  no  cucumbers,  melons, 
leeks,  or  onions  in  that  wilderness.  Bacon  or  unleavened 
bread  or  death  was  the  alternative,  unless  they  could 
hustle  for  wild  game.  Regarding  the  subsequent  careers 
of  the  three  men  above  referred  to  as  an  object  lesson, 
it  may  be  interesting  to  note  the  fact  that  to  the  end  of 
their  lives  none  appeared  ever  to  be  in  a  position  to  as- 
sist another,  or  to  keep  want  from  his  own  door. 

It  was  along  this  road  that  we  fell  in  with  Captain 
Chipman's  ill-starred  train  of  Mormon  emigrants. 
Mingling  with  the  Pilgrims  in  their  camp,  I  became  in- 
terested in  a  young  Englishman  named  S.  W.  Sears, 
whose  history  is  full  of  adventures  and  chequered  with 
varied   experiences. 

Although  then  but  twenty-two  years  of  age,  he  was 
chaplain  of  the  train;  for  be  it  known  that  notwithstand- 
ing the  sins  ascribed  to  the  Mormons,  they  maintained 
regular  devotional  services  in  camp  as  well  as  temple. 
Sears'  wife  had  died  on  their  westward  pilgrimage  six 
months  after  their  marriage  and  was  buried  on  the 
banks  of  the  North  Platte. 

A  few  days  later  their  train  was  attacked  by  Indians 
who  captured  300  of  their  horses  and  oxen. 

The  emigrants  saved  enough  of  their  stock  to  move 
their  wagons  in  divisions  until  they  escaped  from  the 
hostile  Indian  territory. 

Sears  became  prominent  both  as  a  missionary  of  the 
Mormon  faith  and  in  commercial  life.  Two  wives  sur- 
vived him,  one  of  whom  was  the  adopted  daughter  of  the 


THE  BOARDING  HOUSE  TRAIN  369 

distinguished  Daniel  H.  Wells  and  was  born  in  a  wagon 
near  the  entrance  to  the  city  at  the  termination  of  her 
mother's  long  journey  across  the  plains. 

Travel,  like  politics,  makes  strange  bedfellows,  and 
especially  that  kind  of  travel  in  which  all  companions 
must,  from  necessity,  mingle  on  a  common  level,  eat 
their  simple  rations  by  the  same  camp  fire,  and  sleep  side 
by  side  beneath  the  same  open  sky.  This  observation 
is  suggested  by  a  night  spent  in  camp  near  Bear  River. 
Our  ox  train  had  just  forded  that  rocky  stream,  to  avoid 
the  excessive  toll  which  was  demanded  for  the  privilege  of 
crossing  upon  the  new  bridge.  Before  going  into  camp 
nearby, the  Captain  of  a  little  train  that  had  preceded 
us  rode  his  horse  rapidly  into  the  stream  in  his  effort  to 
head  off  some  intractable  mules.  The  horse  stumbled 
over  some  stones  and  fell  upon  its  knees,  throwing  the 
rider  over  his  head  in  a  fairly  executed  somersault  into 
the  water.  The  feat  evoked  hearty  applause  from  those 
who  were  fortunate  enough  to  witness  it. 

Now  it  happened  that  among  the  men  with  our  train 
was  a  modest  but  vigorous  young  man  named  Ferdinand 
Lee,  whom  I  had  known  quite  well  before  he  had  served 
his  full  time  during  the  war  just  ended  as  a  private  in  the 
Second  Wisconsin  Regiment,  which  distinguished  itself 
as  part  of  the  famous  Iron  Brigade. 

After  supper  I  walked  up  the  bank  of  the  stream  with 
Ferd,  which  was  the  name  by  which  Lee  was  familiarly 
known,  and  we  soon  encountered  a  group  of  men  com- 
posed of  stragglers  from  two  small  parties  that  were 
camping  near  by  and  who  like  ourselves  had  gravitated 
toward  the  best  camp  fire. 

"Was  it  your  Captain  what  made  that  h — 1  of  a  dive 
from  his  hoss  into  the  river?"  asked  a  tall,  black-whisk- 


370        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

ered  Southerner  of  a  small,  red-headed  chap,  who  we 
learned  later  was  known  as  Sandy. 

"I  reckon  it  war.  Didn't  he  do  it  all  right?"  was  the 
reply.     "What's  your  name,  anyhow?"  he  continued. 

"Well,  it  don't  make  much  difference,  but  these  fellows 
call  me  Shorty,  and  I  was  wondering  if  that  Captain 
ever  rid  a  hoss  before." 

"Guess  he  has,  because  he  says  he  was  in  the  army  and 
raided  in  Kentucky  with  the  Rebs,"  replied  Sandy. 
"Those  Kentucky ans  think  they  can  ride,  you  know." 
And  with  this  he  took  a  seat  upon  a  little  rock,  lighted  a 
pipe,  ^nd  others  followed  his  example. 

"I  guess  you're  a  Yank,"  said  Shorty. 

"Well,  I  reckon  I  am,"  said  Sandy,  "and  while  we  are 
guessing  I  would  put  you  down  for  a  Johnny  Reb."  A 
frown  came  over  Shorty's  face,  when  he  said,  with  some 
bitterness,  "You  think  the  Kentucky  boys  can't  ride 
much,  hey?" 

"I  recollect  hearing  them  tell  about  your  General 
Winne,  when  he  and  some  of  his  boys  here  were  pretty 
close  together  near  the  Wilderness  Tavern.  He  did  the 
same  thing  in  the  water  of  Flat  Run  that  your  Captain 
did  in  Bear  River." 

"War  you  in  the  Wilderness  two  years  ago?"  asked 
Sandy. 

"I  was  in  the  Iron  Brigade  of  Maryland,  sir." 

"Then  I  reckon  you  have  seen  General  Winne.  But 
don't  you  think  you  fellows  did  a  lot  of  careless  shooting 
around  there?" 

"Wa'al,  we  pumped  some  lead  the  best  we  knew  how, 
but  were  you  careless  enough  to  be  standing  around  in 
that  country  when  shooting  was  going  on?"  asked 
Shorty. 


THE  BOARDING  HOUSE  TRAIN  371 

"There's  a  bullet  inside  of  me  that  once  in  a  while  tells 
me  that  mebbe  I  wasn't  in  jest  the  right  place." 

"What  company  were  you  in?"  asked  Shorty. 

"I  was  fooling  around  a  little  with  the  Tw^entieth 
Maine,"  was  the  reply. 

Ferd  Lee  had  been  a  quiet  but  interested  listener.  One 
of  our  boys,  without  turning  his  head  remarked  that  Lee 
just  behind  him  did  some  business  in  the  Wilderness. 

"Lee?  That's  a  good  Virginia  name.  But  you  were 
not  in  our  Brigade,  were  you?" 

"No,"  replied  Ferd.  "I  loafed  around  a  few  years  with 
the  Second  Wisconsin  in  the  Iron  Brigade." 

Shorty  instantly  rose  to  his  feet,  and  approaching 
Ferd  said,  "I  have  surely  met  you  before,  sir.  Although 
I  hate  the  Yankees,  I  respect  the  bravery  of  the  men  in 
your  Brigade,  and  I  want  to  shake  your  hand." 

Ferd  rose,  took  the  hand  of  the  Confederate  veteran, 
and  they  looked  into  each  other's  eyes  as  the  firelight 
flickered  in  their  faces,  when  Ferd  said,  "No  men  ever 
fought  better  than  yours  did." 

The  Iron  Brigade  had  earned  its  name  through  the 
valor  and  inflexible  courage  of  its  men  on  many  battle- 
fields, and  its  Second  Wisconsin  Regiment  had  borne  an 
honorable  part  in  its  achievement. 

Thus,  for  the  first  time  since  they  had  met  in  conflict 
on  the  battle-fields  of  Virginia,  those  veterans  again 
confronted  each  other.  True,  the  war  was  over,  but  it 
had  left  its  bitterness.  Nevertheless,  like  other  brave 
men,  they  were  impelled  to  respect  the  soldiers  on  the 
opposing  side,  whose  deeds  had  been  as  valorous  as  those 
of  any  heroes  immortalized  in  poetry  and  song.  Until 
late  that  night,  by  the  peaceful  camp  fire  on  the  banks  of 
Bear  River,  the  boys  rehearsed  the  thrilling  events  in 


372        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

which  they  had  participated  in  the  effort  to  shed  each 
other's  blood. 

As  would  naturally  be  supposed,  Captain  Whitmore, 
as  the  opportunity  presented  itself,  gave  me  from  time  to 
time  the  story  of  his  experience  thus  far  during  his  trip. 
One  event,  the  particulars  of  which  were  confirmed  by 
his  men,  seemed  to  be  so  interesting  that  I  asked  him  to 
describe  it  again  to  another  party  of  travelers  at  our 
night's  camp.  It  appears  that  one  afternoon  his  ox 
train  was  slowly  crawling  along  near  the  north  slope  of  a 
low  range  of  hills  west  of  Julesburg.  A  family  of  emi- 
grants from  Illinois  consisting  of  a  man,  his  wife,  a  grown 
son  and  a  daughter  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  a 
couple  of  assistants,  had  accompanied  the  train  from  the 
last  military  post.  As  these  emigrants  had  horse  teams, 
which  travel  somewhat  faster  than  oxen,  they  were  ac- 
customed to  driving  half  a  mile  or  more  in  advance  of  the 
big  train,  although  they  had  been  warned  of  the  hazard; 
but  there  they  were  on  that  fatal  day  to  receive  unaided 
the  brutal  raid  of  a  band  of  Indians  which  swooped  down 
from  the  hills.  John  Wilson  on  horseback  and  Mr.  Stone 
of  Iowa  on  foot  were  out  in  opposite  directions  for  a  hunt. 
Simultaneously  with  the  attack  on  the  emigrant's  wagons, 
Wilson  was  seen  racing  down  a  valley  toward  the  train 
pushing  his  horse  to  the  top  of  its  speed,  and  in  close  pur- 
suit was  a  band  of  mounted  savages  yelling  like  demons. 
At  the  same  moment  Mr.  Stone,  who  was  in  full  view  not 
a  mile  distant,  became  the  object  of  an  attack  from  still 
another  detachment  of  warriors  also  on  horse-back.  The 
train  was  corralled  in  a  circle  for  defense  as  speedily  as 
possible.  In  the  meantime  Stone  displayed  marvelous 
tact  and  coolness.  He  was  armed  with  a  Henry  repeat- 
ing rifle  loaded  with  sixteen  cartridges,  and,  as  was  the 


THE  BOARDING  HOUSE  TRAIN  373 

usual  custom  with  airhunters,  he  also  carried  in  addition 
a  case  of  loaded  cartridges.  On  discovering  the  rapid 
approach  of  the  savages  he  hastened  to  the  top  of  a 
little  mound  that  was  near  by  and  dropped  upon  his 
face.  Pursuing  their  usual  tactics  the  Indians  in  single 
file  rode  swiftly  in  a  circle  round  and  round  the  ap- 
parently doomed  lowan,  gradually  approaching  their 
victim,  who  would  soon  be  within  range  of  their  arrows. 
Stone  remained  quiet  for  a  few  moments  until  his  ene- 
mies, filing  rapidly  by  the  line  of  his  aim  as  they  passed, 
were  within  fairly  safe  range,  and  then  his  rifle,  directed 
with  careful  precision,  opened  up  a  series  of  discharges 
such  as  they  probably  had  never  before  seen,  for  the 
Henry  was  a  newly  invented  weapon  and  the  savages 
doubtless  intended  to  close  in  as  soon  as  the  rifle  should 
be  discharged .  In  Stone's  first  series  of  shots  he  emptied 
three  saddles  of  their  riders  and  wounded  two  horses. 
While  the  savages  then  swung  outward  for  a  moment, 
time  was  given  him  to  refill  the  chamber  of  his  rifle  with 
fresh  cartridges  when  at  once  he  renewed  his  defensive 
tactics,  with  results  that  were  startling.  The  Indians 
who  were  still  in  action  seemed  to  be  perplexed  by  the 
strange,  persistent  weapon  that  was  turned  upon  them, 
and  slowly  withdrew.  Stone  retreated  toward  the  train 
and  was  soon  under  cover  of  its  rifles.  The  emigrant's 
party  fared  badly.  All  were  slaughtered  except  the  young 
girl,  who  was  captured  alive  and  was  taken  off  with  the 
horses  and  the  plunder  from  the  wagons.  I  learned 
later  that  she  remained  in  captivity  until  the  following 
spring,  when  she  was  restored  to  the  military  and  thence 
transported  to  her  former  home. 

Wilson   reached   a  point   where  his  exhausted  horse, 
which  had  fully  shared  in  the  panic,  fell  prostrate  to  the 


374        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

ground  and  never  again  rose  to  its  feet.  The  train,  now 
well  fortified  and  defended,  escaped  further  loss. 

It  may  be  remembered,  as  was  narrated  in  another 
chapter,  that  in  the  early  days  of  our  expedition  and  away 
back  in  the  little  village  of  Churchville,  Iowa,  a  young 
girl  disguised  in  boy's  apparel  succeeded  in  joining  the 
train  and  became  an  assistant  to  the  man  and  his  wife 
who  were  the  cooks  for  the  outfit.  After  our  little  party 
proceeded  in  advance  of  the  big  train  from  Nebraska 
City  we  received  no  definite  tidings  concerning  its  prog- 
ress until  the  meeting  near  Bridger,  which  has  just  been 
described.  It  was  therefore  a  great  surprise,  on  now 
again  reaching  the  train,  to  learn  that  the  girl  had  thus 
far  shared  the  hardships  and  perils  of  the  entire  journey. 
What  would  lead  a  young,  apparently  modest,  and  pre- 
possessing country  maid  to  embark  on  a  long  trip  with 
a  body  of  strangers  destined  to  a  far  away  Mormon  town 
in  the  mountains.'^  Before  being  permitted  to  proceed 
from  Nebraska  City,  it  appears  that  she  gave  out  some 
statements  concerning  her  history.  From  these  it 
transpired  that  she  was  an  orphan  about  nineteen  years 
of  age.  She  had  a  lover,  who,  she  confidently  believed,  was 
in  Salt  Lake  valley.  It  seemed  to  be  the  old  story  of  a 
trustful,  confiding  girl  and  possibly  a  recreant  wooer,  in 
whom  she  still  had  unbounded  faith.  She  was  intelligent 
for  one  of  her  years  and  was  apparently  sincere  and 
thoroughly  in  earnest. 

"Yes,  he  is  right  there  in  the  valley,  and  he  does  not 
know  that  I  am  going  to  meet  him,"  she  said.  But, 
young  girl,  there  are  hundreds  of  canyons  and  branch 
canyons  reaching  out  from  the  valleys  around  Salt  Lake 
basin.  Many  of  them  are  seldom  trodden.  Some,  diffi- 
cult of  access,  invite  the  adventurer  to  their  remotest 


THE  BOARDING  HOUSE  TRAIN         375 

nooks,  where  the  fortune-hunter  would  seek  for  gold  or 
silver.     How  will  you  find  him? 

"Hope  is  a  lover's  staff,"  and  on  that  frail  support  her 
future  rested.  She  had  come  to  be  known  to  the  boys 
with  the  train,  many  of  whom  had  been  soldiers,  as  the 
child  of  the  regiment. 

We  well  remember  how  she  then  appeared  as  she  was 
about  to  enter  practically  alone  into  the  turbulent  life 
of  the  little  city  of  Salt  Lake,  for  it  must  be  understood 
that  the  train  men  must  there  separate,  and  while  she 
might  receive  some  assistance,  she  must  fight  her  own 
battles. 

If  any  old  resident  of  Churchville,  Iowa,  knew  a  bright, 
handsome  young  girl  of  medium  height  with  dark  hair 
and  big  dark  eyes  who  in  the  spring  of  sixty-six  suddenly 
disappeared  from  that  village  he  may  get  this  little 
glimpse  of  her  history.  Her  real  name  was  always  with- 
held. The  name  by  which  she  was  known  to  our  boys 
would  have  no  sigm'ficance  to  her  former  acquaintances.  I 
never  saw  her  again  after  the  train  reached  the  city.  She 
suddenly  vanished  in  the  whirlpool  of  western  life. 

It  was  reported  that  a  young  girl  answering  the  de- 
scription of  our  whilom  w^ard  was  one  morning  seen  riding 
alone  on  horse-back  up  City  Creek  canyon,  to  which 
valley  hundreds  of  men  had  that  year  been  attracted  by 
rumors  of  gold  discoveries.  And  so  must  end  a  tale  half- 
told. 

During  those  days  I  was  assisting  on  horse-back  in 
various  ways,  and  at  times  conducting  the  long  train 
round  the  sharp  curves  in  the  canyons.  Six  or  eight  yokes 
of  oxen  drawing  two  large  wagons  coupled  together  is  a 
long  thing  in  itself,  stretching  out  perhaps  150  feet.  It 
may  run  beautifully  on  a  straight  road,  but  in  rounding 


376        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

a  short  bend  in  a  narrow  roadway,  where  the  inside  of  the 
bend  is  on  the  edge  of  a  precipice,  the  tendency  is  to 
bring  the  wagons  dangerously  near  the  brink. 

On  the  third  of  October,  our  train  was  winding  along 
the  narrow  roadway  among  the  cliffs  of  Silver  Creek 
Canyon.  Looking  across  a  deep  ravine  before  us  we  ob- 
served the  last  wagon  in  the  train  that  was  crawling  along 
in  advance  of  ours,  to  be  encroaching  on  the  edge  of  a 
precipice,  and  in  a  moment  a  wheel  slipped  over  the 
bank.  The  great  prairie  schooner  capsized,  breaking 
the  tongue,  detaching  the  wagon  from  the  teams,  and 
turned  upside  down.  Down,  down  it  rolled,  repeatedly 
bounding  over  rocks  and  through  bushes,  until  it  found 
a  resting  place  quite  out  of  sight  near  the  bottom  of  the 
canyon.  As  we  approached  the  scene  of  the  catastrophe 
an  odor,  recognized  by  experienced  drivers  as  of  whiskey, 
came  from  the  wreck  of  the  wagon.  We  passed  on  as 
soon  as  the  way  could  be  opened.  A  number  of  men  from 
the  delayed  train  seemed  inspired  with  a  benevolent  im- 
pulse that  led  them  to  assist  in  saving  something  from  the 
wreck,  and  were  soon  clambering  down  the  rocks  toward 
the  spot  from  which  the  fragrance  came  the  strongest. 

We  learned  nothing  of  the  final  results  of  the  work  of 
this  salvage  corps.  Their  voices,  which  came  up  from 
the  hidden  depths,  indicated  that  they  had  found  some- 
thing, and  the  odors  were  evidence  that  enough  fire  water 
had  been  spilled  to  have  made  a  whole  tribe  of  the  sol- 
emnest  Indians  hilarious. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  in  going  down  a 
steep  descent  in  the  same  canyon,  the  failure  to  fasten  the 
brake  on  one  of  our  wagons  caused  the  two  that  were 
coupled  together  to  gain  so  much  headway  that  they 
pressed  the  ox  teams  into  a  frightened  mass.     The  break- 


THE  BOARDING  HOUSE  TRAIN  377 

ing  of  the  wagon  tongue  turned  the  wagons  down  a  long 
steep  slope  leaving  the  road  more  than  five  hundred  feet 
above.  We  now  had  our  own  troubles.  After  taking  a 
survey  of  our  wreck,  which  consisted  of  a  load  of  mis- 
cellaneous merchandise  and  a  wagon  in  trail,  on  which 
was  a  heavy  boiler,  I  rode  back  to  the  little  settlement  of 
Wanship  for  articles  needed  in  repairs. 

In  the  meantime  the  train  was  corralled  further  down 
the  canyon,  and  the  stock  wandered  up  the  mountain 
valleys. 

In  the  morning  many  oxen  were  missing  which  it  was 
my  pleasure  to  assist  in  finding,  for  I  loved  the  hills. 
Mounting  a  horse,  I  ascended  a  ravine  and  crossed  two 
or  three  mountain  spurs  where  it  was  hoped  a  glimpse 
of  the  strays  or  their  tracks  might  be  obtained. 

Looking  from  a  concealed  position  across  a  deep  valley, 
I  observed  on  the  opposite  slope  an  animal  which  I  be- 
came satisfied  was  a  mountain  sheep,  the  Big  Horn.  I 
had  seen  many  specimens  of  the  various  animals  and 
birds  indigenous  to  the  West,  but  never  a  mountain 
sheep,  except  in  captivity.  They  are  wary  animals,  and 
like  the  chamois  of  the  Alps  are  at  home  on  the  rocky 
cliffs.  I  must  be  cautious.  My  horse  was  fastened  be- 
hind me,  out  of  view,  down  the  mountain  slope.  My 
Henry  rifle  was  in  good  condition.  Lying  on  my  face 
while  carefully  sighting  through  the  underbrush,  I  felt 
myself  to  be  absolutely  safe  from  discovery.  Calculat- 
ing the  distance  as  accurately  as  possible,  a  careful  aim 
was  taken,  but  the  bullet  fell  far  short  of  the  mark,  strik- 
ing the  rocks  away  beneath.  The  animal  was  evidently 
unconscious  of  my  death-dealing  purpose,  and  nestled 
quietly  half-concealed  in  a  growth  of  underbrush. 
Another  shot  was  fired,  when  it  became  evident  that  my 


378        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Henry  was  not  of  sufficiently  long  range  to  reach  the 
game.  The  opportunity  before  me  was  too  rare  to  be 
sacrificed  without  effort.  Therefore,  after  tying  a  silk 
handkerchief  to  a  limb  to  mark  the  trail  to  my  horse,  I 
skirted  the  spur  of  the  mountain,  on  foot,  slowly  de- 
scended into  the  ravine,  and  laboriously  clambered  up  the 
other  side. 

The  time  and  effort  expended  in  accomplishing  the 
ascent  to  the  other  side  made  it  clear  that  I  had  been 
greatly  deceived  in  the  distance,  but  I  was  happy  to  make 
any  physical  effort  to  secure  a  mountain  sheep.  The 
last  quarter  of  a  mile  must  be  made  with  exceeding  cau- 
tion, because  the  quick  ear  of  the  Big  Horn  would  catch 
any  unusual  sound.  After  more  than  an  hour  of  vig- 
orous but  cautious  climbing,  an  eligible  point  was  reached, 
toward  which  my  course  had  been  directed,  and  with 
rifle  ready  to  fire  on  the  first  sight  of  the  game,  my  head 
was  slowly  raised  above  a  projecting  rock  in  confidence 
that  the  game  had  not  ascended  the  mountain.  There 
it  was  in  full  view,  not  more  than  a  hundred  yards  dis- 
tant. It  certainly  had  horns,  but  the  sight  of  half  a 
dozen  ordinary  sheep  huddled  together  in  the  back- 
ground revealed  to  my  obtuse  consciousness  the  fact 
that  my  game  was  a  ram,  which  was  guarding  a  little 
flock  of  domestic  sheep  similar  to  those  with  which  we  are 
all  familiar. 

Shall  victory  be  WTCsted  from  defeat?  Our  boys 
needed  meat,  and  I  could  tumble  a  sheep's  carcass  down 
the  mountain  side.  Conflicting  emotions  throbbed  with- 
in my  breast,  until  approaching  the  sheep  I  was  con- 
fronted by  a  tough-looking  mountaineer,  after  which  I 
cared  less  for  mutton. 

"What  are  ye  doin'  up  here.''"  was  his  interrogatory. 


THE  BOARDING  HOUSE  TRAIN  379 

"Oh,  I'm  out  a  hunting." 

"What  kind  of  game  are  ye  after?"  he  asked. 

"Oh,  any  nice  game  that  needs  a  good  shot." 

I  noticed  that  the  stranger  had  a  revolver  at  his  side, 
and  in  a  few  moments  another  slouched-hat  individual 
emerged  from  a  little  hut  in  a  side  ravine. 

"What  kind  of  a  rifle  is  that  you've  got?" 

"It's  a  Henry." 

"I've  hear'n  of  one  but  never  seen  one  before.  Lemme 
see  it,"  said  the  mountaineer.  He  took  the  gun  from  me 
and  carefully  looked  it  over.  "WTiere  are  you  from, 
anyhow?"  he  asked,  without  taking  his  eyes  from  the 
gun.  I  gave  the  name  of  the  town  without  any  addi- 
tional facts.  Continuing,  he  said,  "I  was  there  once.  I 
lived  up  in  Bark  Woods  awhile.  Do  you  know  where 
Pumpkin  Holler  is,  just  beyond  Hebron?" 

"Yes." 

"Did  you  ever  know  Jim  Roach,  who  hauled  logs  to 
Joe  Powers'  saw  mill  at  Hebron?" 

"The  holler  is  several  miles  from  my  town,  but  I  think 
I  have  heard  the  name,"  I  replied. 

"Didn't  you  ever  hear  of  Jim  Roach's  nephew  Ben?" 
he  asked. 

"Maybe  I  have,"  was  the  answer. 

"Well!"  said  the  mountaineer,  "I'm  him." 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

Some  Episodes  In  Stock  Hunting 

IN  later  years,  through  the  influence  of  one  of  its 
ambitious  citizens,  the  little  settlement  referred 
to  in  the  last  chapter  as  Pumpkin  Holler  had  come 
to  be  known  by  the  more  classic  if  less  appropriate 
name  of  Rome.  There  was,  however,  nothing  in 
my  recollection  of  that  sleepy  crossroads  or  of  its  alleged 
former  citizen,  Benjamin  Roach,  and  his  friend,  that  would 
tempt  me  to  remain  longer  than  necessary  in  their  moun- 
tain fastness,  nor  did  I  invoke  their  aid  or  inform  them 
that  a  number  of  our  cattle  had  strayed  up  the  adjacent 
valleys.  It  was  the  current  belief  that  some  men  who 
lived  in  those  parts,  having  no  other  visible  means  of 
support,  were  inclined  to  care  for  stray  stock,  and  pur- 
sued that  avocation  as  a  pastime  chiefly  in  their  own  in- 
terest. As  soon,  therefore,  as  the  Henry  rifle  was  again 
in  my  hands,  I  retreated  down  the  mountain  side  through 
the  thickets  of  underbrush  and  then  up  the  other  side  of 
the  valley.  The  silk  handkerchief,  which  had  been  left 
on  the  opposite  cliff  as  a  landmark,  served  a  good  pur- 
pose as  it  enabled  me  to  reach  my  horse  by  a  fairly  direct 
course. 

The  lengthening  shadows  on  the  mountain  slopes  were 
a  warning  that  I  should  speedily  proceed  to  the  business 
of  hunting  cattle.  It  was  nearly  sunset  when  I  caught 
a  glimpse  of  oxen  nearly  a  mile  distant  and  partly  con- 
cealed by  a  grove  near  which  they  were  grazing.  Being 
confident  that  they  were  part  of  our  missing  stock  I 
started  to  reach  them.  The  steep,  rough,  and  rocky 
mountain  slope  which  was  hurriedly  descended    in  the 

380 


SOME  EPISODES  IN  STOCK  HUNTING      381 

quest  was  ill  adapted  to  horse-back  riding  and  the  path- 
less groves  of  underbrush  proved  to  be  serious  obstruc- 
tions to  progress.  Becoming  entangled  in  the  unyielding 
branches  the  stock  of  my  rifle  was  broken  squarely  off, 
and  a  few  new  holes  in  size  beyond  the  skill  of  the  novice 
to  repair,  were  punched  through  my  garments  in  places 
where  additional  holes  were  unnecessary.  On  emerging 
into  an  open  space,  it  was  found  that  both  horse  and 
rider  had  received  a  few  scratches,  and  the  bridle  was 
broken.  All  these  mishaps  were  ordinary  incidents  to 
which  any  stock  hunter  is  subject  if  he  is  inclined  to 
wander  unnecessarily  into  new  and  untrodden  paths,  but 
the  big  whip,  the  favorite  artillery  of  the  cowboy,  was 
saved.  Our  wayward  oxen  were  finally  rounded  up  far 
up  a  valley  where  the  grass  grows  the  greenest,  but  with 
temper  not  unlike  that  of  men  they  evidently  preferred 
the  freedom  of  the  mountains  to  a  condition  of  servitude. 
Apparently  understanding  my  purpose  they  scattered 
in  a  wild  race  to  avoid,  if  possible,  being  again  brought 
under  the  heavy  yoke,  but  were  finally  brought  to  the 
corral  dov/n  the  canyon. 

Our  troubles  were  not  yet  ended.  On  the  following 
day  two  more  wagon  wheels  collapsed  on  a  steep  slope. 
The  train  was  again  halted.  The  stock  was  turned  out 
upon  the  range  with  its  numerous  ramifications  of  ravines 
and  thickets,  and  before  the  morning  dawned  many  of  the 
animals  were  out  of  our  sight. 

We  were  not  traveling  on  schedule  time,  yet  this  delay 
brought  forth  some  outbursts  of  profanity  from  those  who 
were  accustomed  to  swear,  all  of  which  produced  no 
effect  on  the  cattle  scattered  up  the  valleys.  On  the 
following  morning  there  began  another  series  of  experi- 
ences in  hunting  stock,  which  afforded  a  fair  illustration 


382        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

of  the  manner  in  which  the  Western  Mountaineer  of  that 
day  lived  and  tried  to  sleep. 

Taking  a  heavy  horse,  which  unfortunately  was  not 
adapted  to  mountain  climbing,  I  started  alone  southward 
up  a  long  side  ravine  directed  in  part  by  the  tracks  of  the 
oxen.  Having  reached  rather  a  high  altitude,  and  de- 
siring to  obtain  a  better  view  of  the  surrounding  country, 
I  followed  the  projecting  spur  of  a  barren  mountain, 
which  on  further  advance  proved  to  be  unexpectedly 
steep.  In  turning  a  crest  of  the  ridge  my  horse  stumbled, 
and  while  I  very  properly  landed  on  the  uphill  side,  he 
rolled  completely  over  downward,  and  after  a  series  of 
evolutions  impossible  to  describe,  became  anchored  flat 
upon  his  back,  tightly  wedged  in  against  a  small  solitary 
quaking  asp  tree,  which  fortunately  stood  upon  the  edge 
of  an  almost  perpendicular  declivity  at  whose  foot, 
several  hundred  feet  below,  was  a  wet  swamp,  in  which 
was  a  dense  thicket  of  willows,  possibly  the  source  of  a 
mountain  brook.  The  feet  of  the  horse  were  pawing  the 
air.  After  a  few  ineffectual  efforts  to  disengage  himself 
he  turned  his  head  and  cast  a  pathetic  glance  downward, 
evidently  realizing  his  dangerous  and  helpless  position. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  situation  was  not  pleasant  either 
for  the  horse  or  for  him  who  was  partly  responsible  for  its 
plight. 

After  carefully  crawling  down  to  where  he  was  held  as 
in  a  vise,  I  unloosed  his  saddle  girths  and  supporting  my- 
self partly  by  the  little  tree  and  partly  by  the  rock  be- 
neath it,  seized  the  horse  by  his  foretop  and  slowly  swung 
him  round  until  his  head  turned  up  the  slope,  and  then 
assisted  him  to  roll  upon  his  face  as  a  preliminary  to  an 
effort  to  rise  upon  his  feet.  He  took  one  more  solemn 
thoughtful  look  downward  toward  the  gulf  beneath  him. 


SOME  EPISODES  IN  STOCK  HUNTING       383 

and  then  began  his  struggle  for  life  in  the  effort  to  gain  a 
safe  footing  up  the  mountain  side,  to  which  effort  I  gave 
some  assistance  from  my  anchorage.  I  put  my  trust  in 
the  quaking  asp  and  held  to  it  firmly  until  the  loose  stones 
which  the  horse  dislodged  in  his  scramble  had  rolled  by, 
and  then  dragging  the  saddle,  I  slowly  crawled  up  by  the 
same  pathway  and  found  the  animal  quietly  awaiting  my 
arrival,  with  an  expression  upon  his  countenance  that 
seemed  to  indicate  a  desire  to  give  thanks  for  what  was 
really  a  narrow  escape  from  a  disastrous  plunge.  He  was 
again  saddled,  but  was  not  again  mounted  until  we  reached 
a  safer  footing.  Finding  myself  at  a  point  from  which  it 
seemed  that  the  summit  of  the  mountain  could  now  be 
reached,  and  led  as  is  the  average  young  man  by  an  ir- 
repressible desire  to  descend  into  the  deepest  hole  or 
reach  the  top  of  the  highest  hill  at  any  time  within  the 
range  of  vision,  I  determined  to  complete  the  ascent  and 
take  a  look  down  upon  that  part  of  the  world.  On  near- 
ing  the  summit  I  observed  a  dense  mist  slowly  creeping 
along  the  eastern  slope  of  the  mountain  and  bridging  the 
ravine  with  soft  billo^\y  folds  upon  which  the  bright  sun- 
light rested.  When  it  had  risen  to  within  a  few  hundred 
feet  of  my  course,  the  cloud  became  luminous  for  an  in- 
stant. The  flash  was  quickly  followed  by  a  sharp  report 
like  the  discharge  of  a  piece  of  artillery  at  hand  and  the 
detonation  combined  with  its  echo  back  from  another 
mountain  side  in  one  single  sharp  response.  This  was 
quickly  repeated  three  or  four  times  with  startling  effect. 
As  I  have  often  observed,  when  thunder  storms  among 
mountain  peaks  float  beneath  the  observer,  there  is  no 
prolonged  roar  and  rumbling,  as  when  the  deep-toned 
thunder  reverberates  above  lower  levels.  The  prospect 
of  being  wrapped  in  the  cold  and  wet  embrace  of  the  ris- 


384        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

ing  storm  clouds,  when  upon  a  diflBcult  and  untried  moun- 
tain pathway,  was  not  cheering.  The  sky  overhead  had 
been  clear,  and  the  bright  light  intensified  the  grandeur 
and  beautj^  of  the  soft  billows  below,  which  seemed  as 
sharply  outlined  as  the  waves  of  the  ocean,  but  there  came 
some  scurrying  clouds  in  a  higher  stratum  above  the 
summit  which  later  sent  down  driving  snow  flakes,  all  of 
which  melted  in  the  air  on  nearly  the  level  where  I  stood, 
on  coming  into  contact  with  the  warmer  current  near  the 
storm  below.  The  lower  storm  did  not  rise  to  the  moun- 
tain top,  but  majestically  moved  onward  somewhere  by  a 
course  the  eye  could  not  follow,  and  on  its  fleeing  skirts 
was  painted  a  beautiful  rainbow,  as  welcome  in  its  prom- 
ise of  hope  as  any  I  have  ever  seen.  The  complete  arch, 
perfect  in  every  detail,  its  bright  hues  radiant  against 
the  dark  background,  rested  in  the  deep  valley  far  be- 
neath. The  sky  had  again  cleared  and  in  many  direc- 
tions the  bright  sun  lit  up  the  sides  of  the  surrounding 
mountains,  and  slowly  the  coveted  view  of  the  extensive 
landscape  of  mountain  and  valley  unfolded.  That  storm 
was  a  glorious  spectacle  never  to  be  forgotten.  The 
mountain  slopes  as  revealed  when  the  clouds  rolled  by 
were  seen  to  be  scarred  by  narrow  ravines  dark  and 
gloomy  in  the  path  of  the  retreating  storm  and  in  strik- 
ing contrast  with  the  little  patches  of  glistening  snow  on 
many  of  the  northern  slopes,  relics  perhaps  of  some  less 
recent  snow  fall.  The  view  from  any  mountain  top  in- 
spires the  most  phlegmatic  with  some  emotion,  but  on 
this  Utah  peak  the  sense  of  cold  and  hunger  began  in 
time  to  assert  itself. 

I  was  supposed,  also,  to  be  hunting  stock,  and  not  even 
the  dullest  ox  would  go  to  a  rocky  barren  mountain  top 
to  feed.     I  ventured  to  attempt  a  descent  by  a  course 


SOME  EPISODES  IN  STOCK  HUNTING      385 

other  than  that  first  taken  and  leading  down  another 
valley.  After  a  few  miles  of  travel  I  was  surprised  by 
the  welcome  sight  of  a  little  log  cabin,  the  first  human 
habitation  discovered  during  the  day.  The  little  home 
seemed  to  offer  a  much  desired  protection  for  the  coming 
night.  My  thoughts  upon  the  subject  were  frankly  ex- 
pressed to  a  woman  having  slightly  gray  hair,  who  stood 
in  the  open  door  as  I  approached.  She  invited  me  to 
hitch  my  horse  and  come  in.  Accepting  a  proffered 
chair,  I  soon  found  myself  in  the  presence  of  five  com- 
paratively young  women,  none  but  the  one  already  men- 
tioned being  apparently  more  than  twenty-five  years  of 
age.  The  women,  some  of  whom  remained  standing, 
gathered  round  in  a  rather  expectant  attitude,  as  if  de- 
siring to  see  and  hear  all  that  might  transpire.  Although 
not  a  close  observer  of  women's  apparel,  a  single  glance 
showed  me  that  there  was  a  striking  similarity  in  the 
material  and  style  of  their  dresses  and  sun-bonnets. 

"Are  all  these  young  women  members  of  your  family.'" 
I  asked. 

"Yes,  there  are  seven  of  us  here." 

"A  fine  large  family,  indeed,"  said  I,  "but  is  the  man 
of  the  house  here?" 

"No,"  replied  the  older  woman,  "he  is  down  at  Provo 
with  some  cattle." 

"And  j^ou  women  are  up  here  alone,  and  I  suppose  it 
is  your  husband  who  is  at  Provo,"  I  added  with  the  hope 
that  the  answer  might  shed  some  daylight  upon  the  re- 
lationship which  the  women  held  one  to  another.  Some 
of  the  women  quietly  glanced  one  at  another,  until  one 
of  them  replied  in  the  affirmative.  Here  then  the  re- 
markable Scripture  had  had  a  remarkable  fulfilment: 
"In  those  days  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  seven  women 
shall  lay  hold  upon  one  man." 


386        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT       ^ 

Two  of  the  seven,  who  during  our  preliminary  conversa- 
tion had  been  outside,  now  entered  the  room  from  the 
rear,  apparently  aware  that  there  was  a  caller  in  the 
house.  Visits  not  being  frequent  events  in  their  se- 
cluded home,  they  would  naturally  desire  to  share  the  in- 
terest of  any  new  face,  be  it  welcome  or  otherwise. 

The  family  was  now  supposed  to  be  accounted  for  and 
present  except  the  pater-familias,  and  to  what  extent 
the  absent  member  was  entitled  to  the  distinction  of  be- 
ing a  father  had  not  yet  become  clear  to  me,  nor  to  what 
extent  he  was  a  husband. 

I  observed  that  the  cabin  consisted  of  a  single  room,  of 
fairly  good  size,  and  what  appeared  to  be  a  small  kitchen 
under  a  rudely  constructed  lean-to,  built  against  the  rear 
of  the  cottage.  On  opposite  sides  of  the  main  room  were 
berths  made  of  balsam  poles  and  constructed  in  tiers  of 
three,  one  above  another.  There  was  no  ceiling  or  attic 
above  the  room,  which  was  open  to  the  sloping  roof. 
There  being  twelve  berths,  the  provisions  for  sleeping 
were  manifestly  ample,  and  on  being  informed  that  I 
could  be  accommodated  for  the  night  I  decided  to  re- 
main at  least  for  supper,  after  which  my  judgment  would 
be  more  enlightened.  I  was  fearfully  hungry.  They 
would  have  supper  at  five  o'clock.  An  old  fashioned 
fall-leaf  table  was  pulled  out  from  the  wall,  the  leaves 
were  lifted  up,  and  the  preparation  was  begun,  when  I 
stepped  out  from  the  door  to  take  an  observation. 

In  a  running  brook  I  washed  my  hands  and  wiped 
them  partly  on  my  clothes,  using  a  soiled  handkerchief 
that  had  begun  to  simulate  alarmingly  the  likeness  of  an 
old  map  of  Africa,  but  still  discharged  in  some  measure 
the  duty  of  detergence.  Having  parted  my  hair  with 
my  pocket  comb  and  being  now  ready  for  the  feast  I 


DEAD    MAN  S    FALLS,    LITTLE    COTfONWOOD,    UTAH 


SOME  EPISODES  IN  STOCK  HUNTING     387 

strolled  round  the  little  log  cabin,  which  to  me  was  in- 
vested with  almost  as  much  interest  as  the  Yildiz  Kiosk 
when  it  was  the  home  of  Abdul  Hamid.  A  voice  at  the 
door  announced  that  supper  was  ready,  and  I  responded 
with  alacrity.  There  were  eight  seats  at  the  table,  two 
on  each  side,  and  all  were  speedily  occupied.  The  dishes 
with  the  food  served  had  all  been  placed  upon  the  bare 
table,  to  be  passed  round.  The  luxury  of  a  linen  spread 
was  not  to  be  expected  in  an  out  of  the  way  western 
mountain  cabin,  and  what  with  hot  tea,  brown  sugar  and 
milk,  cold  meat  and  bread,  all  seemed  appetizing  enough. 

I  soon  learned  that  the  family  were  Mormons,  but  did 
not  ascertain  definitely  to  what  extent  that  cult  had 
brought  them  under  the  sway  of  one  husband,  though 
it  appeared  probable  that  three  of  the  young  women  were 
still  free  to  form  matrimonial  alliance. 

Women  were  present  in  number  sufficient  to  give  con- 
tinuity to  the  conversation,  in  the  course  of  which  I 
glanced  round  at  the  berths  in  the  room  and  finally  asked 
where,  in  case  I  should  remain  for  the  night,  they  would 
put  me.  To  them  the  problem  presented  no  difficulty. 
In  fact,  it  was  not  uncommon  on  the  frontier  in  early 
days  for  several  families  to  be  sheltered  over  night  in  a 
single  room  almost  as  satisfactorily  as  is  now  done  in  a 
Pullman  sleeper,  and  with  as  little  disturbance  from 
sonorous  slumberers  who  sometimes  unwittingly  throw 
their  neighbors  into  a  panic.  I  was  present  on  one 
occasion  when  Costello,  the  well-known  rancher  in  South 
Park,  on  a  stormy  night  entertained  forty-six  sleepers — 
men  and  women — in  three  rooms.  He  said  he  believed 
he  could  handle  two  or  three  more,  but  it  might  make  it  a 
little  crowded. 

"Is  there  another  cabin  not  far  away,  where  the  man  of 


388        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

the  house  is  likely  to  be  at  home?"  I  asked,  when  the 
supper  was  over.  After  a  little  thought  one  of  the  women 
stated  that  about  a  mile  down  the  canyon  there  lived  an 
old  fellow,  at  what  was  known  as  the  toll  gate. 

"0  yes,"  said  another,  "you  mean  the  Scotchman." 
The  suggestion  afforded  an  opportunity  for  retreat. 
Thanking  the  women,  I  paid  for  my  supper  and  received 
definite  instructions  concerning  the  path,  as  the  darkness 
of  evening  had  begun  to  settle  on  the  valley.  I  reached 
the  other  little  hut,  recognizing  it  first  by  the  firelight 
shining  through  the  small  window.  My  approach  to  the 
cabin  was  proclaimed  by  the  deep-toned  barking  of  dogs 
from  within.  A  "hello"  brought  the  keeper  to  the  door. 
Driving  back  the  animals,  and  commanding  them  to  shut 
up,  he  gave  me  an  opportunity  through  the  half  open  door 
to  ask  his  permission  to  stay  all  night  with  him,  which 
request  was  granted  as  a  matter  of  course.  Having  ar- 
ranged for  some  feed  for  my  horse,  we  entered  the  hut. 
The  Scotchman,  who  (I  learned  later)  was  well  known  by 
many  Mormon  people,  was  the  sole  occupant  of  the  cabin, 
except  that  three  huge  mastiffs  shared  his  company.  On 
entering  I  took  a  seat  in  an  uneasy  chair  before  the  fire, 
and  the  Scotchman,  who  was  uncommunicative  and  not 
especially  hospitable,  soon  stretched  himself  out  upon  the 
only  bench  in  the  room,  wrapped  himself  up  in  his  blan- 
ket, and  fell  asleep.  The  dogs,  with  half-opened  eyes 
directed  toward  me  as  they  were  stretched  before  the  fire- 
place, had  become  reconciled  to  my  presence.  The 
flickering  firelight,  which  enabled  me  to  write  a  few  sen- 
tences in  my  note  book,  also  exposed  a  dirty  earth  floor 
not  covered  at  any  point  with  boards.  I  had  no  blanket 
and  the  prospect  for  repose  was  dismal.  As  a  diversion  I 
wandered  out  into  the  night  toward  the  place  where  my 


SOME  EPISODES  IN  STOCK  HUNTING      389 

horse  had  been  hitched,  near  which  I  had  noticed  a  small 
pile  of  fresh  straw,  four  or  five  feet  in  height.  It  oc- 
curred to  me  that  this  pile  exactly  met  my  requirements, 
and  compared  with  it  the  Scotchman's  dirt  floor  was  not 
to  be  considered  for  a  moment.  The  sky  was  now  clear, 
and  the  air  was  still.  In  the  distance  here  and  there  arose 
the  occasional  yelp  of  timber  wolves,  doubtless  on  their 
regular  nocturnal  patrol  as  scavengers.  Investigation 
revealed  the  presence  of  pigs,  which  had  burrowed  out  a 
comfortable  nest  in  the  straw  stack.  After  a  few 
punches,  two  animals  with  many  grunts  of  reluctance 
consented  to  vacate  their  bed.  I  immediately  crawled, 
feet  first,  quite  out  of  sight  into  the  nest.  It  was  a  far 
better  bed  than  the  soldiers  had  been  accustomed  to 
sleep  in,  during  the  Civil  War.  The  cares  of  the  day 
were  soon  forgotten  in  slumber,  but  early  in  the  morning 
I  was  suddenly  awakened  by  the  jumping  of  heavy  ani- 
mals upon  the  straw  pile  above  me  and  by  the  angry 
barking  of  dogs,  the  deep  baying  of  which  came  through 
the  passage  to  my  nest.  Their  noses  were  soon  thrust 
into  the  straw  at  the  entrance.  The  three  big  mastiffs 
in  the  Caledonian's  lodge  on  the  previous  night  had  been 
turned  loose  for  their  morning  airing  and  had  scented  the 
presence  of  an  intruder  in  the  straw  pile.  Every  word 
that  I  spoke  to  them  served  but  to  augment  their  savage 
howls  and  barking.  I  had  often  run  badgers  and  other 
burrowing  animals  into  their  holes,  but  had  never  before 
so  fully  realized  the  deplorable  straits  to  which  I  had  re- 
duced them. 

I  managed  to  extricate  my  revolver  from  the  belt  but 
remembered  that  its  flash  would  set  the  straw  on  fire,  nor 
did  I  care  to  incur  the  hostility  of  the  surly  Scot  by  shoot- 
ing one  of  his  dearest  friends  and  protectors.        Already 


390        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

I  had  had  trouble  enough.  The  Highlander's  attention 
was  finally  attracted  by  the  excited  conduct  of  his  dogs 
and  naturally  believing  that  they  had  covered  some  big 
game  in  the  straw  pile  he  urged  them  on  and  returned  to 
the  cabin  for  his  gun.  My  voice  was  smothered  and 
muffled  by  the  straw  pile  and  drowned  in  the  incessant 
howling  and  barking  of  the  three  dogs,  and  still  I  would 
not  shoot  until  they  should  make  an  attack.  Yelling 
at  the  top  of  my  voice  I  finally  made  the  Scotchman 
aware  that  the  sound  proceeded  from  a  human  being  and 
that  the  import  of  my  entreaty  was  that  he  call  off  his 
dogs,  else  I  must  shoot,  and  that  I  was  the  fellow  whom 
he  received  the  night  before.  His  response  inspired  me 
with  hope.  Laying  aside  his  gun  he  took  one  and  then 
another  of  the  savage  mastiffs  by  the  tail,  pulled  them 
back  and  fought  them  off,  until  at  length  he  got  between 
them  and  the  hole  under  the  straw  stack.  As  I  emerged, 
the  vicious  beasts  made  another  plunge,  but  in  some  way 
I  struggled  to  my  feet,  when  possibly  the  excited  animals 
recognized  me  as  the  guest  of  their  master  and  their  in- 
terest subsided,  though  for  some  time  they  maintained 
close  watch,  apparently  ready  on  the  slightest  hint  to 
renew  hostilities.  The  Scot  informed  me  that  his  dogs 
were  great  on  wolves  and  were  well-trained.  Nothing  in 
addition  to  my  recent  observations  was  necessary  to  con- 
vince me  that  the  dogs  were  great  on  any  game. 

The  reader  may  recall  that  I  had  an  understanding 
with  Captain  Whitmore  that  the  wagon  train  would  pro- 
ceed to  Salt  Lake  City  as  rapidly  as  possible,  to  deliver 
merchandise  that  had  been  long  in  transit.  As  the  grade 
from  the  head  of  Parley's  Canyon  to  the  city  was  steadily 
downward,  this  could  be  accomplished  without  the  ser- 
vice of  the  missing  cattle,  but  I  was  to  remain  in  the 


SOME  EPISODES  IN  STOCK  HUNTING      391 

mountains  and  recover  them,  if  possible.  The  next  two 
days  were  devoted  to  this  work,  and  having  ascended  one 
ravine  after  another,  late  on  the  afternoon  of  October  8th 
I  emerged  from  the  mountains  with  all  the  missing  cattle 
in  a  herd  before  me.  We  came  out  over  the  high  bench 
by  the  upper  road,  which  has  since  been  abandoned,  and 
from  which  elevation  against  the  light  of  the  setting  sun 
could  be  seen  the  Jordan  Valley  and  the  western  moun- 
tains beyond.  There  were  reasons  for  self -congratula- 
tion on  reflecting  that  the  cattle  hunt  was  so  near  a  suc- 
cessful termination.  It  was  in  the  early  twilight,  and 
hardly  two  miles  separated  the  truant  oxen  from  the 
city  corral,  when  for  no  cause  apparent  to  me  all  the 
cattle  suddenly  stopped,  wheeled  from  the  road  and  with 
heads  and  tails  in  the  air  started  in  various  directions  at 
the  top  of  their  speed.  My  horse  sharing  in  the  panic 
became  almost  unmanageable,  but  with  him  I  started  in 
pursuit. 

It  appears  that  in  the  preceding  year  a  firm  possessed 
of  more  enterprise  than  business  acumen  had  imported 
from  the  Orient  a  herd  of  camels,  intending  to  use  them 
for  the  transportation  of  freight  across  the  arid  country 
south  of  Salt  Lake. 

In  the  dusk  of  evening  the  stock  under  my  care  had 
caught  a  glimpse  of  this  herd  of  grotesque  long-necked 
beasts  approaching  them.  It  was  a  sight  the  like  of 
which  they  probably  had  never  before  beheld.  Escap- 
ing hurriedly  with  my  frightened  horse  I  was  carried 
through  what  I  believe  was  an  irrigating  ditch  into  the 
rough  ground  beyond,  whence  for  the  first  time  I  dis- 
cerned in  outline  the  swaying  towering  heads  of  the  awk- 
ward camels  that  had  caused  the  stampede.  Then  the 
pursuit  of  the  panic-stricken  oxen  was  renewed,  my  hope 


392        THEiA WAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

being  that  they  might  be  brought  back  into  the  road  be- 
fore the  darkness  of  the  on-coming  night  should  make  it 
impossible  to  follow  them.  Racing  at  night  on  horse- 
back over  rough  and  unknown  grounds,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  a  frightened  steer,  may  be  conducive  to  health, 
but  when  at  eight  o'clock  all  the  oxen  were  brought  up 
near  the  gate  of  the  corral  in  the  City  of  the  Saints,  I  was 
happy  to  call  for  help  and  turn  over  the  'whole  bloomin' 
outfit'  to  the  care  of  fresh  herders. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 
Adventures  Of  An  Amateur  Detective 

IT  was  long  after  the  time  of  which    we  are  writing 
that  Conan  Doyle  led  his  readers  into  some  of  the 
secrets    of    detecting  crime  by  the  observance    of 
circumstances    devoid    of   significance   to  the  ordi- 
nary   searcher    for   clues.     It  is  also  true  that  the 
legal  devices  by  which  the  guilty  are  now-a-days  gen- 
erally   enabled    to    escape    punishment    had    not    been 
brought  to  their  present  high  state  of  perfection. 

In  the  corral  in  Salt  Lake  City  where  our  wagons  and 
stock  were  temporarily  cared  for,  there  were  also  other 
outfits  having  drivers  concerning  whose  character  our 
captain  had  little  knowledge,  but  the  conduct  and  general 
appearance  of  some  of  them  led  him  to  believe  that  they 
were  not  quite  incapable  of  disregarding  on  occasion  the 
artificial  distinction  between  mine  and  thine. 

One  morning  three  mule  trains  said  to  be  bound  for 
Montana  pulled  out  from  the  corral,  and  on  the  same  day 
it  was  discovered  that  several  articles  were  missing  from 
our  wagons.  This  interesting  synchronism  led  our  men 
generally  to  believe  that  our  property  had  accompanied 
one  of  those  trains,  which  were  soon  beyond  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  Salt  Lake  officers.  A  Sherlock  Holmes  might 
have  discerned  some  further  hint  pointing  to  the  authors 
of  the  larceny,  but  we  could  find  none.  We  decided  to 
rely  upon  general  suspicion  as  suflBcient  ground  for  action 
and  to  proceed  accordingly. 

In  the  Western  territories,  and  especially  outside  any  of 
the  few  settlements,  according  to  the  unwritten  law,  horse 
stealing  was  treated  as  a  capital  offense.     Therefore,  if 

393 


394        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

it  had  been  a  horse  that  was  stolen  from  us,  a  posse  com- 
itaius  would  doubtless  have  been  at  once  put  upon  the 
trail,  fully  equipped  to  execute  the  conventional  punish- 
ment, but  the  saddles,  bridles,  and  blankets  that  formed 
a  portion  of  our  loss,  though  equine  accoutrements  and 
exceeding  in  value  an  average  horse,  still  left  the  crime 
in  the  rank  of  mild  offenses,  along  with  other  misde- 
meanors forbidden  by  the  decalogue.  For  some  reason 
that  no  one  could  ever  even  guess,  it  was  urged  that  I, 
even  I,  should  pursue  the  trains  and  ascertain,  if  possi- 
ble, if  the  stuff  was  under  their  care.  I  consented,  per- 
haps foolishly,  to  make  the  venture.  A  search  warrant 
was  secured,  which  purported  to  invest  me  with  authority 
to  detain  and  examine  the  trains  in  question,  in  other 
words  assigning  to  me  the  duties  of  deputy  sheriff  or  de- 
tective, I  hardly  knew  which;  but  I  was  well  aware  of  the 
fact  that  the  instrument  given  me  really  had  no  legal 
force  beyond  the  city  limits,  and  I  doubted  if  it  had  much 
value  anywhere,  but  it  was  quite  a  good-looking  and  im- 
pressive piece  of  paper,  and  with  it  I  started  very  early 
the  next  morning  for  the  North. 

As  my  duties  had  seldom  brought  me  to  the  corral,  I 
expected  to  be  a  stranger  to  all  the  freighters  whom  I  was 
pursuing,  but  had  seen  enough  of  them  on  one  brief  visit 
to  be  convinced  that  among  them  were  a  number  of 
tough  characters,  yet  I  saw  no  reason  why,  as  an  officer 
of  the  law,  I  should  not  receive  permission  to  examine  the 
wagons,  if  the  wagon  master  himself  should  be  innocent. 

It  was  sometime  after  noon  when  a  mule  train  was  ob- 
served in  the  distance,  and  on  reaching  it  I  learned  from 
one  of  the  drivers  that  the  name  of  the  owners  was  upon 
the  search  warrant.  The  captain  of  the  train,  on  horse- 
back in  the  lead,  stopped  as  requested,    and  the  paper 


ADVENTURES  OF  AN  AMATEUR  DETECTIVE  395 

was  read  to  him.  After  a  little  consideration  the  captain 
said  "Do  you  intend,  young  man,  to  stop  my  train  here 
and  go  through  all  these  wagons?  I  replied,  "That  is 
what  I  came  all  the  way  from  Salt  Lake  City  to  do,"  but 
I  would  be  as  expeditious  as  possible  and  desired  his  per- 
sonal assistance.  "Well,"  he  replied,  "if  there  is  any 
stolen  property  in  this  outfit  I  don't  know  it,  but  sup- 
pose you  can  look  through  the  wagons."  He  ordered  the 
train  to  halt.  Calling  an  assistant,  he  said,  "Hold  this 
oflBcer's  horse."  Accompanying  me  to  the  head  wagon 
I  made  as  thorough  a  search  there  as  possible,  repeating 
the  process  through  each  wagon,  the  captain,  who  ap- 
peared to  be  a  fair  man,  keeping  in  close  company.  Some 
of  the  men  seemed  somewhat  averse  to  an  examination  of 
their  private  effects  under  such  peculiar  circumstances, 
but  a  regard  for  the  dignity  of  the  law,  and  the  presence 
of  the  captain  of  the  train  who  had  assented  to  the  search, 
doubtless  prevented  any  serious  opposition. 

Having  completed  the  examination  which  required 
little  more  than  an  hour,  and  thanking  the  captain  for 
his  assistance,  I  announced  that  the  property  did  not  ap- 
pear to  be  in  the  possession  of  any  of  his  men  and  that 
all  was  satisfactory. 

By  proceeding  again  more  rapidly,  another  train  was 
reached  quite  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  a  thorough  search 
was  made  through  the  merchandise  in  each  wagon,  all  of 
which  was  accomplished  without  serious  opposition,  but 
none  of  the  missing  property  was  found.  It  was  evident 
that  the  third  train  could  not  be  overtaken  and  searched 
that  evening,  but  I  pressed  on  Northward  and  darkness 
came  on  quite  early. 

At  the  right  near  by  to  the  East,  the  Wasatch  range  of 
mountains   paralleled   the  old   Montana   road   and   the 


396        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

shore  of  Great  Salt  Lake,  which  lay  to  the  West.  Snow 
storms  had  been  falling  in  the  mountains  for  several  days, 
and  the  white  mantle  extended  well  out  over  the  foothills 
and  upon  the  higher  slopes  of  the  valley  through  which 
the  road  led.  The  night  was  chilly,  and  I  hastened  on 
rapidly,  hoping  soon  to  find  some  cabin  in  which  to  spend 
the  night,  but  for  many  miles  no  habitation  was  visible. 
The  road  traversed  a  long  stretch  of  arid  land,  which  then 
oflFered  no  attraction  to  a  settler,  although  it  is  now  well 
cultivated.  It  had  become  quite  dark  and  from  the 
direction  of  the  mountains  there  came  the  frequent  yelp- 
ing of  wolves.  This  brought  to  mind  the  information 
that  had  come  to  Captain  Whit  more  the  preceding  day, 
that  a  herd  of  our  cattle  which  had  been  pasturing  in  the 
mountains  had  since  the  first  snowfall  been  stampeded 
by  wolves  and  driven  for  many  miles.  Four  of  the  oxen 
had  been  bitten  by  the  sharp  teeth  of  the  pursuing  wolves 
until  they  were  unable  to  go  further.  The  term  used  by 
the  herders  in  these  cases  is  that  the  cattle  were  "ham- 
strung," the  tendons  of  the  legs  being  severed.  One  of 
the  weaker  oxen  was  killed  and  partly  eaten  before  the 
herders  were  able  to  come  to  the  rescue.  It  was  evident 
that  the  wolves  were  now  becoming  hungry  and  were 
coming  down  to  the  lower  land  away  from  the  snow  for 
food.  For  a  time  I  gave  little  attention  to  the  howling, 
as  it  was  not  unusual  in  many  parts  of  the  West,  but  as  I 
jogged  along  I  observed  that  the  noises  were  becoming 
much  more  distinct  and  continuous,  and  it  soon  became 
evident  that  the  wolves  were  gathering  in  considerable 
numbers  and  were  following  closely.  My  horse  was  be- 
coming disturbed  and  started  off  at  good  speed,  but  the 
wolves  had  no  difficulty  in  keeping  the  pace.  I  had  with 
me  two  Colt  revolvers,  one  in  the  holster  of  the  saddle 


ADVENTURES  OF  AN  AMATEUR  DETECTIVE  397 

and  one  in  my  belt.  The  principal  danger  was  that  if  the 
wolves  came  nearer,  they  might  nip  the  legs  of  the  horse 
and  cripple  him.  It  was  impossible  to  see  them  distinctly, 
but  on  catching  the  first  outline  of  their  forms  a  few  feet 
behind  the  horse  I  issued  a  warning  in  the  form  of  a  flash 
from  the  pistol  and  a  bullet  to  suggest  that  some  of  them 
were  liable  to  get  hurt.  Their  noises  were  then  so  fre- 
quent that  I  was  not  certain  if  one  had  been  hit.  Startled 
somewhat  perhaps  by  the  report  of  the  pistol,  they 
dropped  back  for  a  moment  but  again  renewed  the  chase 
and  continued  their  disagreeable  yelps.  It  appeared 
evident  that  the  safest  plan  was  to  keep  going.  My  horse 
seemed  fully  to  concur  in  this  opinion.  The  ammunition 
must  be  used  only  in  emergencies,  when  the  persistent 
creatures  crowded  too  close  on  the  horse's  heels.  The 
firing  was  repeated  a  number  of  times  as  they  closed  in 
upon  me.  The  chase  was  continued  for  several  miles, 
until  the  pursuers,  which  may  have  scented  some  ac- 
cessible carrion,  after  one  of  the  pistol  shots  abandoned  the 
chase  to  the  eminent  satisfaction  of  both  horse  and  rider. 
It  was  nearly  nine  o'clock  when  there  appeared  the 
welcome  light  of  a  candle  shining  through  the  little  win- 
dow of  a  cabin  on  the  west  side  of  the  road.  To  my  call 
from  outside  the  gate,  as  I  rode  up,  a  man  soon  answered 
by  coming  to  the  door.  Having  announced  the  fact  I 
had  suspected  for  several  hours,  that  I  was  very  hungry 
and  that  my  horse  must  be  in  a  similar  condition,  I  asked 
permission  to  enjoy  the  hospitalities  of  his  cabin  for  the 
night,  to  which  he  promptly  replied,  "SartainI  you  go 
right  in,  and  wife  will  get  you  some  supper,  and  I'll 
take  care  of  your  horse,"  which  by  that  time  I  had  led 
through  the  gate.  Turning  to  the  woman  who  stood 
near  him,  and  who  had  been  an  interested  observer,  he 


398        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

asked  her  to  prepare  a  supper.  While  this  work  was 
proceeding  in  the  room  where  I  was  sitting  by  the  fire, 
I  quietly  and  expectantly  enjoyed  the  fragrance  of  coffee 
and  fried  bacon.  I  was  about  to  take  seat  at  the  table, 
when  the  head  of  the  household  again  entered  and  re- 
ported that  he  had  waited  a  little  for  the  horse  to  cool  off, 
and  then  had  watered  and  fed  him.  As  I  was  transfer- 
ring the  first  slices  of  bacon  to  my  plate,  the  gentleman 
opened  the  conversation  by  the  question,  "Where  are  you 
from?" 

"I  just  came  up  from  Salt  Lake  City  to-day.  I  left 
there  this  morning.  Your  wife  tells  me  that  your  name 
is  Childs,"  I  added,  and  then  gave  him  my  name. 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  "my  name  is  Childs,  but  I  presumed 
that  you  were  from  the  States.  Is  Salt  Lake  your  home?" 

"No.  I  have  spent  three  or  four  months  there.  My 
home  is  in  Wisconsin." 

"I  had  a  brother  once  who  lived  in  Wisconsin,"  said 
Mr.  Childs. 

"Oh,  yes.     I  know  him  very  well." 

"You  know  him?"  exclaimed  my  host.  "Why  do  you 
think  you  know  him?  I  haven't  even  told  you  his  name 
or  where  he  lived." 

"His  name  is  John  Childs,"  said  I,  starting  in  on  a  sec- 
ond cup  of  coffee. 

The  man  and  his  wife  gazed  at  each  other  with  ex- 
pressions of  surprise.  The  fact  was  that  I  did  well 
know  a  prominent  farmer,  an  old  and  esteemed  settler 
in  Wisconsin,  whose  name  was  John  Childs,  and  as 
he  was  the  only  man  I  did  know  who  bore  that  family 
name,  I  took  a  flyer  in  jest,  and  it  happened  to  hit  the 
mark. 

"Where  did  the  John  Childs  that  you  know  live?" 


ADVENTURES  OF  AN  AMATEUR  DETECTIVE  399 

asked  my  host.  "In  Lima,  Wisconsin,"  was  my  prompt 
answer. 

"Then  he  is  probably  not  my  brother.  My  brother 
went  to  Whitewater." 

"Oh,  that's  all  right,"  said  I,  "but  you  are  mistaken 
in  the  supposition  that  your  brother  lives  in  Whitewater. 
He  lives  in  the  town  of  Lima,  but  the  villages  are  only 
six  miles  apart.  The  railroad  station  is  known  as 
Child's  Station." 

This  statement  on  my  part  was  not  so  remarkable  as 
it  would  appear  to  be,  because  I  was  familiar  with  the 
situation. 

"Do  you  mean  to  say  that  he  is  now  living?"  asked 
Mr.  Childs,  as  he  drew  very  close  to  me  at  the  table, 
while  his  wife  also  took  a  seat  and  listened  intently. 

"Living.'*  He  was  hving  six  months  ago  and  weighs 
fully  200  pounds.  I  know  nearly  every  man  in  all  that 
country." 

Mr.  Childs  of  Utah  paused  a  moment  and  then  said 
to  his  wife,  "Send  over  to  the  boys  to  come  here  at  once, 
and  we  will  wait  until  they  arrive,  for  I  wish  them  to  hear 
all  about  this  matter."  Turning  to  me  he  added,  "I 
have  two  brothers  who  live  in  the  two  houses  beyond 
here,  and  I  wish  them  to  hear  all  that  you  will  say."  I 
then  turned  the  subject  to  the  purpose  of  my  trip  North. 
I  told  him  of  the  lost  property  and  of  the  improper  con- 
duct of  the  wolves  back  in  the  desert.  He  then  informed 
me  that  one  of  his  brothers  was  the  constable  for  that 
township. 

The  brothers  having  arrived,  Mr.  Childs  introduced 
them  and  then  narrated  to  them  the  conversation  which 
had  passed  between  us  concerning  their  brother,  John, 
to  which  they  listened  with  profound  interest.     Turning 


400        THE  A^^AKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

to  me  he  said  "We  all  lived  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  New 
York.  We  three  brothers  who  are  here  became  converted 
to  the  Mormon  doctrines  while  we  lived  in  New  York 
state  and  soon  came  to  Utah  ^ith  others  of  our  faith,  but 
John  and  other  relatives  were  not  reconciled  to  our  ac- 
tion. John,  as  we  understood,  went  to  Wisconsin  and 
settled  in  WTiitewater.  We  wrote  him  a  letter  but  he 
never  made  reply,  and  since  that  time  no  tidings  from 
him  have  reached  us." 

"Your  communication  doubtless  went  to  the  Dead 
Letter  office,"  said  I.  "Although  John  is  well  known  and 
is  perhaps  thirty  years  older  than  I  am,  a  letter  addressed 
to  the  wrong  post-office  might  not  have  reached  him  if 
written  before  he  was  as  well  kno%\'n  as  he  is  now.  How 
long  is  it  since  you  heard  concerning  him.^" 

"About  twenty  years.  We  supposed  that  even  if  h\nng 
he  was  still  un-^-illing  to  renew  friendly  relations  vdth  us, 
and  all  because  of  the  fact  that  he  did  not  agree  with 
us  in  our  religious  belief." 

Thus  had  the  Scripture  been  fulfilled,  and  families  and 
peoples  been  di^^ded,  all  the  way  down  through  genera- 
tions. That  evening  by  the  big  open  fire  was  an  occa- 
sion of  great  interest.  The  family  was  told  of  their 
brother's  prosperity  and  high  social  position,  and  that 
he  was  a  man  of  recognized  honor.  We  separated  at  a 
late  hour,  and  I  retired  leaving  the  brothers  still  convers- 
ing. In  the  morning,  having  learned  that  I  would  soon 
return  to  Wisconsin  they  asked  me  to  send  for  the  brother 
on  my  arrival  there  and  tell  him  of  my  meeting  with  his 
Mormon  brethren  and  that  the  information  given  might 
be  full  and  definite  they  showed  me  their  farms,  stock 
and  harvested  grains.  Mr.  Childs  declined  to  accept 
anything  for  my  entertaimennt. 


ADVENTURES  OF  AN  AMATEUR  DETECTIVE  401 

The  sequel  of  this  incident  may  as  well  be  related  here 
before  pursuing  further  the  events  of  this  horseback  ride. 
Several  weeks  after  spending  the  night  with  the  Childs 
brothers  in  Utah,  and  after  again  reaching  Wisconsin,  I 
addressed  a  note  to  John  Childs,  of  Lima,  requesting  an 
interview.  The  request  was  promptly  granted,  the 
meeting  to  take  place  in  a  quiet  business  office  with  which 
we  were  both  familiar.  Mr.  Childs,  who  was  perhaps  the 
most  prosperous  and  honored  man  in  his  neighborhood, 
was  usually  addressed  even  by  many  of  his  younger 
friends  as  John,  so  that  after  we  had  met  as  arranged,  and 
he  had  anchored  his  large  frame  in  an  easy  chair,  and  I 
was  comfortably  adjusted  in  another,  I  said,  "John,  did 
you  not  have  some  brothers  back  in  York  state?" 

He  replied  in  the  single  word  "Yes,"  with  a  rising  in- 
flection, as  if  about  to  ask,  "Why  do  you  wish  to  know?" 
but  he  did  not  continue. 

"Well,  John,  do  you  know  what  became  of  them?" 

After  a  little  hesitation  he  told  briefly  of  the  belief  that 
prevailed  with  other  members  of  the  family,  that  they 
enlisted  for  the  Mexican  war,  but  their  friends  had  failed 
to  obtain  any  definite  trace  of  their  movements  and  all 
trace  of  them  was  lost  in  that  campaign. 

"Could  you  not  secure  information  concerning  them 
through  the  records  of  the  war  department?"  I  asked. 

"Nothing  definite,  except  that  there  was  a  suspicion  at 
one  time  that  they  might  have  gone  up  into  Utah,  but 
we  tried  to  locate  them,  and  have  never  heard  a  word 
from  them,  or  of  them,  to  this  day,  and  I  suppose  they 
were  lost  in  some  adventure." 

It  was  evident  that  while  John  had  not  yet  told  all  that 
he  knew  of  his  brothers,  his  belief  was  that  they  were  not 


402        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

living,  as  he  had  never  been  able  to  obtain  any  tidings 
concerning  them.  When,  however,  I  recited  the  full 
names  of  his  brothers,  also  the  date  and  place  of  their 
birth,  and  some  other  data  of  family  interest  and  asked 
if  they  fitted  the  case,  it  was  then  that  John  Childs  awoke 
to  the  fact  that  I  had  some  information  to  impart,  that 
might  be  of  interest.  Without  further  delay  I  stated  to 
him  that  all  his  brothers  were  living  and  prosperous.  The 
word  came  to  him  as  a  voice  from  the  long  ago,  and  was 
seemingly  as  startling  and  unexpected  to  him  as  if  coming 
from  another  world.  I  told  him  of  my  night  spent  with 
the  brothers  in  Utah,  of  their  story  of  the  family  separa- 
tion and  of  their  effort  to  effect  a  reconcilation  by  a  letter 
addressed  to  the  wrong  post-ofl5ce.  John  stated  that  he 
had  never  received  a  line  from  them,  but  suspecting  that 
they  might  be  in  Utah  he  had  addressed  them  at  Salt 
Lake,  which  was  quite  natural,  though  that  city,  it  ap- 
pears, was  forty  miles  from  their  home.  That  letter  also 
failed  to  reach  its  destination,  and  all  parties  believed  that 
the  old  bitterness  was  still  alive.  The  situation  was  now 
perfectly  clear,  whereupon  John  at  once  wrote  letters  that 
brought  friendly  replies  as  promptly  as  the  overland 
stage  mail  could  transmit  them,  bringing  the  first  direct 
word  that  had  passed  in  twenty  years. 

As  already  stated,  one  of  the  Childs  brothers  was  con- 
stable. In  discussing  the  matter  of  my  search  for  stolen 
property  he  was  emphatic  in  his  advice  that  the  pursuit 
of  the  other  train  would  involve  a  great  hazard.  It  was 
traveling  with  light  loads,  evidently  going  North  to 
winter  on  some  of  those  ranges,  and  before  it  could  be 
overtaken  it  would  be  outside  the  limits  of  Utah.  If 
the  property  was  with  it,  the  men  would  certainly  resist 
the  intrusion  of  an  unaccompanied  searcher,  and  an  un- 


ADVENTURES  OF  AN  AMATEUR  DETECTIVE  403 

equal  fight  would  be  the  result.  It  was  a  lonely,  wild, 
and  tough  country  at  best,  they  all  declared,  with  a 
"don't  try  it"  as  their  final  word  of  admonition. 

"All  right,  fellows,"  said  I,  "and  possibly  you  are  right. 
I  have  seen  some  of  this  country  and  will  return  South." 

After  breakfast  and  some  pleasant  farewell  words  I 
started  on  my  return  to  Salt  Lake.  Some  distance  in  ad- 
vance, I  noticed  a  solitary  horseman  riding  in  the  same 
direction  I  was  going.  As  the  country  was  unsettled,  the 
prospect  of  companionship  led  me  to  hasten  until  he  was 
overtaken.  He  proved  to  be  a  Mormon  pioneer,  and 
after  some  preliminary  conversation  as  we  rode  along  side 
by  side  he  informed  me  that  his  name  was  James  S. 
Brown. 

"Are  you  the  James  S.  Brown  who  first  discovered  gold 
in  California,  at  Sutter's  Mill.?"  I  asked. 

"I  was  there,"  he  replied.  "There  were  James  Mar- 
shall, H.  W.  Bigler,  and  James  Berger  who  were  with  me. 
We  had  been  with  the  Mormon  Battalion  sent  to  the 
Mexican  war,  and  having  been  discharged  we  came  up  to 
Captain  J.  A.  Sutter's  ranch  on  the  American  River." 

"I  have  read  much  of  that  ranch  in  John  C.  Fremont's 
records,"  I  replied. 

Continuing  he  said,  "We  were  out  of  money  and  needed 
horses  for  our  return  trip  to  the  Missouri  River,  therefore 
we  engaged  to  help  Sutter  build  a  saw  mill  on  the  stream 
at  the  point  where  the  City  of  Sacramento  now  stands. 
Sutter  went  to  California  from  Missouri,  and  acquired  a 
principality  in  size  and  value,  and  was  the  first  settler. 
It  was  during  that  work  that  in  January,  1848,  we  found 
gold.  It  had  not  been  seen  there  before.  As  a  fact  we 
brought  the  first  news  of  the  discovery  East,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  rush  of  1849." 


404        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Mr.  Brown  was  somewhat  above  the  average  in  size 
but  at  the  time  of  our  meeting  was  lame  as  the  result  of 
some  accident  in  his  early  days.  His  description  of  the 
hardships  of  his  brigade  in  the  Arizona  desert,  which 
through  questioning  was  elicited  from  him,  was  thrilling 
in  the  highest  degree. 

Continuing  his  story  from  time  to  time  after  occasional 
digressions  he  told  of  the  return  of  their  party  over  the 
Sierras  Eastward,  of  their  troubles  with  the  Indians  and 
of  other  hardships.  Although  in  Mr.  Brown's  interesting 
volume  on  the  Life  of  a  Pioneer,  written  in  later  years, 
he  makes  no  mention  of  the  circumstances,  yet  he  told 
me  that  when  his  little  party  had  arrived  at  the  north 
end  of  Great  Salt  Lake  in  the  autumn  of  1848,  and  had 
determined  that  it  would  be  much  safer  to  spend  the 
winter  in  that  valley  than  to  cross  the  mountains  so  late 
in  the  season,  they  were  led  by  friendly  Indians  to  under- 
stand that  good  forage  for  their  horses  could  be  found  at 
the  southern  end  of  the  Lake;  whereupon,  as  he  told  me, 
the  party  traveled  the  same  course  that  we  were  then 
following,  along  the  western  base  of  the  Wasatch  Moun- 
tains. At  a  point  several  miles  north  of  the  present  site 
of  Salt  Lake  City  they  unexpectedly  met  two  of  their 
Mormon  friends,  whom  they  had  neither  seen  nor  heard 
from  since  leaving  the  Missouri  River  two  years  before. 
They  were  informed  for  the  first  time  that  Brigham 
Young  and  many  Mormons  had  crossed  the  plains  and 
the  mountains  in  the  preceding  year,  and  had  erected  a 
slockade  and  settled  at  the  south  end  of  the  lake.  One 
member  of  Mr.  Brown's  party  was  astounded  to  learn 
that  his  mother,  having  crossed  with  one  of  the  trains,  was 
at  that  moment  but  12  miles  away  and  that  she  had 
driven  a  yoke  of  oxen  the  greater  part  of  that  long,  tedious 


ADVENTURES  OF  AN  AMATEUR  DETECTIVE  405 

course,  a  duty  made  necessary  by  the  heavy  burdens 
which  fell  upon  others.  This  was  certainly  a  remarkable 
revelation  to  the  weary  travelers,  who  had  supposed  that 
they  were  alone  in  the  middle  of  the  continent. 

Near  the  close  of  the  day  Brown  and  I  reached  the 
ranch  of  Peregrine  Sessions,  a  pioneer  Mormon  and  a  man 
conspicuous  in  Mormon  history,  from  whom  the  place 
was  known  as  Sessions'  settlement.  As  we  rode  up  to  the 
door,  Mr.  Brown  said  to  me:  "It  was  right  here  that  we 
met  our  Mormon  brothers  who  informed  us  concerning 
the  new  Salt  Lake  settlement."  It  was  arranged  that  we 
should  spend  the  night  with  Mr.  Sessions,  who  during  the 
evening  gave  a  brief  account  of  the  perils  and  privations 
to  which  they  were  subjected  on  their  journey  and  some 
incidents  connected  with  the  early  days  in  Utah.  Dur- 
ing our  evening's  interview  Mr.  Brown  described  his 
first  arrival  at  Salt  Lake  settlement,  where  he  and  his 
party  found  their  friends  living  in  brush  sheds  and  dug- 
outs, a  few  only  having  log  cabins,  their  general  condition 
being  most  discouraging.  Such  was  the  beginning  of 
Salt  Lake  City. 

We  may  now  recall  the  fact  that  the  settlement  of  Salt 
Lake  City  by  the  Mormons  in  1847,  and  the  discovery 
of  gold  in  California  in  1848,  were  the  prime  factors  in 
the  awakening  of  the  Far  West.  Salt  Lake  Valley  was 
an  alkali  desert  declared  to  be  absolutely  hopeless  by  the 
early  trappers  and  explorers.  Its  reclamation  and  culti- 
vation by  those  religious  exiles  made  it  the  only  supply 
point  for  provisions  on  the  long  road  to  the  newly  dis- 
covered Sacramento  gold  fields,  and  saved  many  from 
starvation,  to  the  profit  of  all  concerned. 

Mr.  Sessions  arrived  in  Salt  Lake  Valley  in  the  middle 
of  September,  1847,  having  conducted  a  company  of  fifty 


406        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

wagons,  which  closely  followed  the  first  train  of  Mormon 
pioneers  conducted  by  Brigham  Young.  The  Deseret  News 
is  authority  for  the  statement  that  "Peregrine  Sessions 
was  the  father  of  fifty ^ix  children," — a  patriarch  indeed. 

It  is  true  that  the  graphic  yet  ingenuously  told  story 
related  by  one  of  the  discoverers  of  gold  in  California, 
one  who  carried  to  the  States  the  first  intelligence  of  that 
discovery,  gave  added  interest  to  the  visit  that  I  soon 
made  to  those  gold  diggings,  the  fame  of  which  had  in- 
cited the  first  tide  of  transcontinental  migration  com- 
posed of  hardy  and  reckless  adventurers  willing  to  under- 
go the  trials  and  perils  incident  to  such  an  expedition. 
These,  with  the  Argonauts  who  sailed  around  by  the 
Isthmus  or  Cape  Horn,  were  the  ones  who  first  roused  the 
latent  energies  of  our  Pacific  coast  territory. 

There  were  a  very  few,  however,  who  were  attracted 
not  by  gold  but  by  admiration  for  the  sublime  and  beau- 
tiful in  nature,  especially  through  companionship  with 
the  noble  trees  and  towering  cliffs  of  the  Sierras;  and 
these  men  aided  in  revealing  to  the  world  the  previously 
unwritten  history  of  these  formations.  Among  them  were 
John  Muir,  the  shepherd,  naturalist,  and  author,  and 
Galen  Clark,  the  pioneer  and  discoverer  of  the  Mariposa 
Grove.  I  appreciated  Galen  Clark's  homage  for  nature 
when,  after  spending  a  night  at  his  cabin,  built  in  1857, 
he  personally  led  me  among  those  monarchs  of  the  forest, 
stating  the  heights  of  various  trees,  and  for  my  satisfac- 
tion assisted  in  measuring  the  trunks  of  many;  one  of 
them  was  101  feet  in  circumference.  He  referred  to  them 
in  affectionate  terms,  expressing  the  hope  that  they 
might  be  spared  from  the  lumberman's  axe. 

It  was  still  later  when  I  first  visited  Muir's  haunts  in 
the  Yosemite;  George  Anderson,  a  Scotch  ship-carpenter, 


ADVENTURES  OF  AN  AMATEUR  DETECTIVE  407 

had  spent  the  summer  in  driUing  holes  into  the  granite 
face  of  the  upper  cbff  of  the  great  South  Dome,  driving 
in  it  iron  pins  with  ropes  attached.  Two  or  three  per- 
sons were  tempted  to  scale  with  the  aid  of  these  ropes  the 
heights,  which  ave  nearly  a  perpendicular  mile  above  the 
valley.  I,  too,  was  inchned  to  make  the  venture.  I  pro- 
ceeded in  advance,  followed  by  Anderson,  who  had  in 
tow  a  young  San  Franciscan  with  a  connecting  rope 
around  the  young  man's  waist.  It  was  a  dizzy  but  in- 
spiring ascent  and  I  was  pleased  to  reach  the  top  twenty 
minutes  in  advance  of  my  pursuers.  While  spending 
an  hour  upon  the  summit,  I  discovered  on  its  barren  sur- 
face, a  lady's  bracelet.  On  showing  it  to  Anderson,  he 
said:  "You  are  the  third  party  who  has  made  this  ascent. 
I  pulled  up  a  young  woman  recently  but  she  never  men- 
tioned any  loss  except  from  nausea."  Returning  to  Mer- 
ced, I  observed  a  vigorous  young  woman  wearing  a  brace- 
let similar  to  the  one  I  had  found.  The  lady  proved  to 
be  Miss  Sally  Dutcher  of  San  Francisco,  who  admitted 
the  loss  and  thankfully  accepted  the  missing  ornament. 
A  letter  to  me  from  Galen  Clark  states  that  he  assisted  in 
Miss  Dutcher's  ascent,  Anderson  preceding  with  a  rope 
around  his  waist  connecting  with  Miss  Dutcher;  also 
that  she  was  certainly  the  first  and  possibly  the  last 
woman  who  made  the  ascent.  These  ascents  are  now 
forbidden,  but  the  natural  attractions  of  the  State  of 
California  have  drawn  to  it  a  vast  revenue  from  transient 
nature  lovers. 

But  to  return  to  the  hospitable  home  in  Utah. 

After  spending  the  night  wath  Mr.  Sessions  and  his 
varied  household,  Mr.  Brown  and  I  on  the  following 
morning  proceeded  on  our  way  to  the  City. 

Experienced  detectives  have  spent  years  in  their  ef- 


408        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

forts  to  apprehend  a  single  criminal  and  then  failed; 
moreover  a  discreet  officer  will  sometimes  avoid  being 
shot,  as  that  is  a  high  price  to  pay  for  success.  Experts 
sometimes  accomplish  no  more  and  have  a  less  enjoyable 
ride  than  I  did;  and  being  but  a  novice  I  had  no  grounds 
for  regret.  Cool  reflection  convinced  us  all  that  the 
lost  property  was  of  little  value  and  not  worth  bringing 
back  at  best,  while  some  optimists  maintained  that  it  was 
really  very  good  riddance. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

The  Overland  Stage  Line 

IN  the  past  few  months  we  had  crawled  many  hun- 
dred miles  with  a  slow  moving  ox  train.  Several 
weeks  had  the  writer  spent  with  a  few  intimate 
associates,  while  convoying  a  small  horse-train. 
Possibly  a  thousand  miles  had  he  covered  on 
horseback,  often  quite  alone,  with  much  opportunity  for 
silent  contemplation  and  an  occasional  resultant  desire 
for  better  company  than  himself.  Nearly  two  weeks 
had  been  passed  in  the  heterogeneous  but  interesting  com- 
panionship of  the  boarding-house  mule  train,  with  its 
peculiar  vicissitudes. 

A  time  having  arrived  when  return  to  the  States  seemed 
desirable,  I  decided,  like  many  travelers,  to  conclude 
the  season  of  travel  on  the  highest  scale  of  elegance  pos- 
sible, and  incidentally  to  profit  by  the  experience  of  still 
another  form  of  transportation.  Having  at  command 
the  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  required  for  the  pur- 
chase of  a  ticket  to  the  Missouri  River,  and  possibly  a 
sufficient  margin  to  pay  for  the  meals  at  the  various 
stations,  I  booked  by  the  swift-going  Ben  Holliday 
coaches,  patronized  generally,  as  I  was  informed,  only 
by  the  wealthy,  or  by  those  whose  business  was  suffi- 
cientlj  important  to  justify  the  outlay. 

To  reach  Denver,  the  first  town  on  the  route,  required 
seven  days  and  six  nights  of  continuous  travel  with  no 
avoidable  stops  except  for  meals  and  relays  of  horses. 
Naturally  for  this  long  ride  the  choice  of  seats  was  a 
matter  of  much  importance.  Any  human  being,  in 
whom  there  remains  any  life  whatever,  desires  now  and 

409 


410        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

then  to  change  his  position,  also  to  secure  an  occasional 
doze  without  the  risk  of  having  his  neck  broken  by  a 
sudden  jolt,  while  sleeping.  The  back  seat  with  its 
ample  head  rest  was,  therefore,  the  first  choice.  I  was 
compelled  to  take  the  middle  seat,  the  least  desirable. 
There  being  nine  passengers,  the  three  inside  seats  were 
occupied  each  by  three  persons,  opportunity,  however, 
being  left  for  riding  at  times  with  the  driver. 

At  exactly  eight-thirty  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 
Thursday,  October  25th,  the  driver  was  on  his  seat  of  the 
coach  in  front  of  the  Salt  Lake  House.  The  baggage 
and  mail  had  been  carefully  strapped  into  the  boot  on  the 
rear,  and  the  passengers  were  in  their  assigned  places 
within. 

As  was  the  invariable  custom,  a  crowd  of  onlookers 
thronged  the  sidewalk,  to  watch  the  outgoing  coach.  The 
spirited  horses,  such  as  usually  were  selected  for  the  runs 
into  and  out  from  stations  where  they  were  much  ob- 
served, were  fresh  and  eager.  A  few  grand  flourishes  of 
the  driver's  whip  ended  by  sending  the  lash  out  over  the 
lead-horses  with  a  sharp  crack,  and  the  team  was  off  in 
grand  form.  As  the  outfit  speeded  down  the  street,  it 
was  a  dress  parade,  advertising  Ben  Holliday's  stage  line. 
The  first  mile  of  this  travel  may  be  compared  with  the 
alluring  picture  advertisements  with  which  modern 
railroad  companies  attract  summer  tourists.  The  real 
thing  in  tourist  travel  is  better  seen  w^hen  one  walks 
through  a  car  crowded  with  weary,  perspiring,  dust-be- 
grimed recreation-seeking  passengers,  who  bear  little 
resemblance  to  the  fine  and  jauntily  dressed  figures 
paraded  in  the  beautiful  booklets.  And  so,  when  an  hour 
later  we  traveled  slowly  up  the  long  ascending  grade  and 
muddy  roads  in  Parley's  Canyon,  which  were  saturated 


THE    OVERLAND    STAGE    LINE  411 

with  melting  snow,  our  plight  seemed  to  be  in  striking 
contrast  with  our  spectacular  start. 

There  was  but  one  woman  among  the  passengers,  and 
she  with  her  husband  occupied  the  front  seat,  facing  me. 
Everybody  "got  acquainted"  very  quickly,  after  the 
manner  of  the  West,  and  each  told  of  the  many  promi- 
nent people  in  their  home  state,  with  whom  they  were 
intimate,  and  by  four  o'clock,  at  which  time  the  eating 
station  known  as  Kimball's  was  reached,  each  had  be- 
come convinced  that  he  was  one  of  a  party  of  distinguished 
and  agreeable  travelers. 

It  was  after  dusk,  when  with  a  fresh  team  we  were 
whirling  down  the  steep  curves  of  Silver  Creek  Canyon 
with  horses  on  a  full  run,  urged  on  by  the  Jehu  on  the  box. 
We  were  making  up  lost  time,  for  the  roads  had  been 
heavy.  At  our  right  we  were  following  the  tortuous 
brink  of  dizzy  precipices,  the  bottoms  of  which  were  lost 
to  sight  in  the  gloom  of  the  mountain  shadows. 

A  passenger  on  the  front  seat,  while  holding  tightly  to 
the  window  frame,  pushed  his  head  outside  and  called  at 
the  top  of  his  voice,  "For  Heaven's  sake,  driver,  go 
slower."  The  only  response  was  a  renewed  cracking  of 
the  whip  and  a  more  rapid  clatter  of  the  horses'  hoofs 
upon  the  rocky  road.  As  the  coach  plunged  over  an 
obstruction  one  passenger,  who  was  changing  his  posi- 
tion on  the  back  seat,  was  lifted  to  the  roof  of  the  coach 
by  a  sudden  jolt  and  tumbled  over  the  middle  seat  where 
he  lay  spread  out,  grasping  the  passengers  in  front  for 
support.  The  horses  speeded  on  just  the  same,  for  lost 
time  must  be  made  up  on  the  down  grades.  All  the  pas- 
sengers had  been  accustomed  to  travel  by  stages,  but  it 
was  remarked  that  at  the  beginning  of  each  journey  of 
this  character  the  apparent  perils  of  rapid  night  riding 


412        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

in  the  mountains  were  more  fully  realized  than  after 
several  days  of  tension.  When  the  long  up-grade  of 
Echo  Canyon  was  reached,  and  for  hours  the  progress 
was  slower,  affairs  again  settled  down  to  a  peaceful  con- 
dition. While  some  passengers  maintained  a  desultory 
conversation  others  dropped  into  fitful  dozes,  usually 
brought  to  an  end  by  a  short,  vigorous  snore. 

Early  on  the  second  morning,  while  the  muddy  ground 
was  covered  with  white  frost,  we  rode  up  to  the  break- 
fast station  at  Bear  River,  and  an  opportunity  was  given 
to  relax  the  tense  muscles  of  the  legs,  which  had  been 
pinioned  down  for  the  greater  part  of  twenty-four  hours. 
What  would  be  their  condition  two  weeks  later? 

Another  night  closed  in  upon  us,  accompanied  by  a 
cold,  driving  rain.  The  passengers  pulled  their  caps 
down  over  their  eyes,  drew  their  wraps  snugly  about  their 
bodies,  and  sank  back  into  the  most  restful  positions 
possible.  By  common  consent  nearly  all  of  the  men  ex- 
tended their  feet  to  the  opposite  seat,  to  relieve  their 
limbs  from  the  continued  confinement.  The  husband 
of  my  vis-a-vis  negotiated  for  privileges  on  a  portion  of 
my  seat  for  the  feet  of  his  wife,  with  his  assurance  of  her 
full  reciprocity,  to  which  interchange  I  gratefully  as- 
sented. The  woman  said  that  she  was  dying  to  stretch. 
I  was  quite  willing  to  save  her  life  by  such  an  agreeable 
exchange  of  courtesy. 

At  intervals  of  twelve  or  fourteen  miles  the  driver  gave 
vent  to  a  series  of  war-whoops,  which  announced  his 
approach  to  some  little  hut  where  horses  were  to  be  ex- 
changed. While  this  was  being  done  by  the  dim  light 
of  a  lantern,  some  passenger  was  sure  to  put  his  head  out 
of  the  window  and  ask,  "Where  are  we  now?"  The  reply 
that  it  was  Lone  Tree  or  Salt  Wells,  conveyed  but  little 


THE  OVERLAND  STAGE  LINE      413 

information,  as  the  stations  were  almost  nowhere,  being 
simply  points  in  space  marked  by  the  stage  company  for 
convenience.  Little  could  be  seen  from  the  coach  except 
the  stable  and  the  vague  outlines  of  some  overshadowing 
hill  behind  it,  and  the  men  with  the  horses  barely  visible 
in  the  soft  glow  of  the  lantern. 

The  drizzly  autumn  rain  continued  to  fall  until,  in  the 
gray  dusk  of  the  early  morning,  while  the  other  passen- 
gers seemed  to  be  dozing,  I  became  conscious  of  a  slowly 
increasing  dip  of  the  coach,  which  continued  until  the 
vehicle  rolled  upon  its  side.  Then  came  a  brief  period  of 
profound  silence,  as  if  all  were  pausing  to  learn  if  the 
evolution  was  really  complete,  and  if  we  were  not  now  to 
roll  further  down  into  some  deep  ravine.  In  the  mean- 
time we  were  holding  firmly  one  to  another,  but  no  sound 
of  distress  indicated  that  any  one  was  injured. 

The  first  voice  that  came  to  our  ears  was  from  the 
driver  outside,  who  uttered  a  few  well-assorted  oaths, 
which  were  addressed  to  himself,  in  a  low  tone  of  voice, 
but  were,  however,  an  assurance  to  us  that  all  was  well 
and  that  he  was  in  his  normal  condition.  It  was  some- 
what difficult  for  each  passenger  to  extricate  himself 
from  the  common  mass  of  humanity  with  which  he  was 
implicated,  and  to  get  the  several  members  of  his  own 
body  clearly  identified  and  segregated  from  those  be- 
longing to  others. 

One  man,  who  was  on  the  upper  stratum,  succeeded 
in  escaping  through  the  door,  which  now  opened  skyward, 
and  emerged  upon  what  had  become  the  top  of  the  coach, 
from  which  observatory  he  saw  the  driver  standing 
quietly  by  his  horses,  deep  in  meditation,  awaiting  de- 
velopments. 

We  were  on  comparatively  level  ground.     The  upset 


414        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

had  been  caused  by  a  deep  rut,  and  its  ending  was  as 
gentle  as  could  be  wrought  by  human  hands.  The  pas- 
sengers were  lifted  out  one  by  one,  and  with  their  com- 
bined assistance  the  vehicle  was  righted  upon  its  wheels, 
and  we  rolled  on  to  the  next  station  at  Green  River, 
where  that  swift  stream  was  forded.  The  bottoms  of  the 
Concord  coaches  were  water  tight,  so  that  very  deep 
streams  could  be  crossed  with  a  fair  prospect  in  many 
cases  of  bringing  the  passengers  through  dry  shod. 

As  a  precautionary  measure  I  took  a  seat  on  the  top  of 
the  coach  with  a  fellow  traveler.  In  the  course  of  our 
morning  ride  he  informed  me  that  the  man  in  the  coach, 
who  was  traveling  with  his  alleged  wife,  was  a  professional 
gambler  and  the  proprietor  of  a  resort  where  was  played 
the  seductive  game  of  poker,  in  which  miners  and  fron- 
tiersmen make  many  hazardous  ventures.  We  had  been 
impressed  with  the  spontaneous  generosity  with  which,  at 
every  possible  opportunity,  he  had  proffered  to  each 
passenger  the  contents  of  one  of  the  black  bottles  which 
were  convenient  in  his  satchel.  It  was  offered  as  night 
came  on  as  a  protection  against  chills,  and  again  at  the 
dawn  of  day  as  an  appetizer  to  stomachs  already  craving 
for  food.  Before  fording  any  stream  his  whiskey  was  rec- 
ommended, with  the  suggestion  that  there  was  danger 
of  our  coming  in  contact  with  water.  After  crossing  the 
stream  it  was  poured  out  as  a  libation  in  pious  thankful- 
ness that  all  were  safely  over.  By  the  end  of  the  third 
day  he  seemed  oblivious  of  passing  events. 

After  the  storms  had  passed  away  and  we  were  under 
bright  skies  and  in  a  clear,  exhilarating  atmosphere,  I 
spent  the  greater  part  of  my  time  upon  the  top  of  the 
coach.  The  right  of  way  was  universally  accorded  to 
the  coaches,  because    they    carried   the    United  States 


THE  OVERLAND  STAGE  LINE     415 

mail.  Even  in  the  canyons  or  other  narrow  roadways, 
other  travelers,  who  were  now  and  then  passed,  invari- 
ably drove  out  of  the  road,  if  possible,  as  soon  as  they 
saw  the  stage  approaching.  After  the  morning  of  the 
fifth  day  large  numbers  of  antelope  and  deer  as  well  as 
a  few  elk  were  seen.  As  each  passenger  had  some  sort 
of  rifle,  a  fusillade  of  shots  was  often  sent  somewhat  at 
random  toward  the  unsuspecting  animals,  but  usually 
without  hurting  them,  for  the  stage  was  rarely  halted 
for  so  trifling  a  reason  as  to  enable  sportsmen  to  aim 
with  precision. 

On  the  sixth  day  of  our  ride  we  were  crossing  the  high 
Laramie  plains.  With  three  other  passengers  I  got  on  to 
the  top  of  the  coach.  The  driver  had  six  lively  bronchos 
for  his  team.  A  stiff  east  gale  was  driving  into  our  faces. 
On  a  smooth  down  grade  the  whip  was  cracked  a  few 
times  over  the  horses'  heads  to  urge  them  to  the  limit 
of  their  speed,  and  all  were  on  a  keen  gallop,  which  is  the 
favorite  gait  of  the  broncho.  The  passengers  pulled 
their  caps  tightly  upon  their  heads  that  they  might  not 
be  blown  away. 

"Gimme  a  match,"  said  the  driver,  as  with  one  hand 
he  filled  his  pipe  with  some  of  the  weed  that  seemed  to  be 
loose  in  his  overcoat  pocket,  and  then  inserted  the  pipe 
stem  between  his  teeth. 

"You  don't  expect  to  light  your  pipe  while  facing  this 
gale,"  exclaimed  a  Hebrew,  who  sat  behind  the  driv^er. 

"Mebbe  I  can."  This  reply  resulted  in  a  proposed 
wager  of  five  dollars  on  condition  that  the  pipe  must  be 
lighted  with  the  first  match  used,  the  driver  to  hold  the 
six  lines  and  the  whip  in  his  hands  and  to  keep  the  horses 
on  a  run. 

"I'll  cover  it,"  said  the  driver.     The  money  was  placed 


416        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT    ^ 

in  the  hands  of  a  passenger.  The  lash  again  cracked 
over  the  horses,  when  the  team  started  with  renewed 
vigor.  The  driver  pulled  his  buckskin  glove  from  his 
right  hand  and  quickly  placed  its  fingers  in  his  left  hand, 
in  which  he  also  held  his  lines  and  whip.  Striking  the 
match  on  the  sole  of  his  boot  he  inserted  it  into  the  open 
glove  into  which  he  also  poked  the  bowl  of  his  pipe,  and 
in  a  moment  the  pipe  was  in  successful  operation.  He 
reached  over  to  the  stakeholder  and  closed  upon  the 
$10.00,  which  he  shoved  into  the  pocket  with  the  to- 
bacco, remarking  that  it  was  dead  easy,  and  that  he 
had  won  money  the  same  way  on  nearly  every  trip. 

At  the  next  home-station,  where  our  driver  would 
ordinarily  be  exchanged  for  another,  it  was  found  that  be- 
cause of  delays  no  other  driver  was  there  for  relief,  and 
although  he  had  already  been  on  the  box  for  several 
hours  he  must  proceed  with  the  stage. 

He  was  not  in  a  contented  frame  of  mind,  and  there- 
fore swore  lustily  as  he  mounted  the  seat,  and  with  six 
fresh  bronchos  rushed  the  team  until  he  reached  Willow 
Springs.  It  appears  that  at  the  previous  station  he  had 
received  from  the  generous  passenger  in  the  coach  a 
flask  of  whiskey,  to  aid  him  in  keeping  up  his  courage. 
Four  fresh  spirited  horses  were  now  hitched  to  the  coach 
for  the  next  fifteen  mile's  drive.  The  bleak  gale  caused  all 
but  the  driver  to  go  inside.  The  driver  took  a  fresh 
draught  from  the  flask,  mounted  the  box  and  applied 
the  whip  in  so  brutal  a  manner  that  it  became  evident 
that  he  was  drunk.  One  of  the  lead  horses  led  in  a  run 
and  it  was  clear  that  the  driver  had  lost  control  both  of 
himself  and  his  team.  While  on  one  down  hill  course  we 
found  ourselves  continuously  outside  the  road,  bounding 
over  stones,  with  the  horses  in  a  panic  and  on  a  dead  run. 


THE   OVERLAND   STAGE   LINE  417 

We  were  liable  to  be  dumped  at  any  moment.  The  pas- 
sengers were  on  their  feet,  calling  through  the  windows 
to  the  driver  to  stop.  He  was  too  drunk  to  reply  audibly. 
Being  the  youngest  passenger  and  rather  slender  and 
supple  I  crawled  through  the  window  over  to  the  top 
of  the  swaying  coach  and  slid  down  on  the  seat  by  the 
driver  before  being  observed  by  him.  Instantly  the 
reins  and  whip  were  wrested  from  his  lax  grasp.  No  other 
act  will  enrage  a  professional  horseman  so  thoroughly  as 
this.  The  driver  made  a  dive  for  the  ribbons  and  swore 
that  no  man  should  take  his  horses.  A  single  light  blow 
upon  his  head  convinced  him  that  he  must  submit.  He 
knew  that  he  was  helplessly  drunk  and  his  horses  were 
running  away.  Having  had  some  experience  in  manag- 
ing a  four-in-hand  I  was  soon  able,  by  watching  the 
course,  to  turn  them  to  the  right  up  a  hillside  and  bring 
them  under  control  for  a  sufficient  time  to  enable  some 
of  the  passengers  to  escape.  Some  of  them  tried  to 
pacify  the  rearing  lead  horses  with  kind  words.  One 
strong  man  consented  to  mount  the  box  and  hold  the 
drunken  driver  in  subjection  until  the  outfit  could  be 
brought  into  the  road.  The  other  passengers,  except  the 
gambler,  walked  for  half  a  mile  until  convinced  that  it 
would  be  safe  to  ride,  when  they  returned  to  their  seats. 
The  regular  driver  begged  for  the  reins,  but  his  guard  held 
him  in  custody  until  we  were  in  sight  of  the  home-sta- 
tion at  Virginia  Dale.  The  intoxicated  coachman  had 
come  somewhat  to  a  consciousness  of  the  situation  and 
in  response  to  his  pleadings  he  was  permitted  to  drive 
the  last  half  mile  of  his  run.  All  the  passengers  except 
the  gambler  abandoned  the  coach  and  walked.  He  who 
remained  was  true  to  his  profession  and  said  that  he 
would^gamble  on  the  risk  and  ride.     The  manager  at 


418        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

Virginia  Dale  said  that  the  driver  would  be  discharged 
from  the  service,  but  our  opinion  was  that  it  would  be 
only  for  the  night. 

On  the  seventh  day  we  skirted  along  the  eastern  slope 
of  the  mountains  and  now  once  more  upon  the  plains  we 
passed  numerous  herds  of  antelope  and  elk.  At  night 
we  arrived  at  the  Planter's  House  in  Denver. 

It  had  been  eight  years  since  George  A.  Jackson,  a 
trapper  and  companion  of  Kit  Carson,  discovered  gold  in 
Cherry  Creek  near  the  present  site  of  that  settlement. 
As  Pike's  Peak  (discovered  by  Zebulon  M.  Pike  in  1806) 
was  hardly  a  hundred  miles  distant  and  was  the  nearest 
object  bearing  a  name  that  had  appeared  on  the  maps  at 
any  time  prior  to  the  Cherry  Creek  discovery,  the  dig- 
gings were  first  known  as  Pike's  Peak  Gold  Mines. 

In  the  following  autumn  of  1858  intelligence  unac- 
companied by  any  particulars  reached  the  States  by  the 
way  of  Omaha  that  gold  had  been  discovered  at  Pike's 
Peak.  The  news  vividly  colored  bj'  excitable  men  spread 
like  wild  fire  through  the  country.  Early  in  the  following 
spring  I  saw  a  small  train  roll  out  with  a  party  of  ad- 
venturers whom  I  well  knew  to  be  on  the  alluring  quest 
for  Pike's  Peak  gold.  One  wagon  bore  the  legend  which 
later  became  familiar  "Pike's  Peak  or  bust."  I  saw 
members  of  the  party  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year 
after  they  had  returned  "busted."  Their  hunt  was  like 
the  storied  search  for  the  bag  of  gold  at  the  foot  of  the 
rainbow.  Before  the  rumor  of  the  discovery  of  the  pre- 
cious metal  had  barely  had  time  to  rouse  the  average  for- 
tune seeker  George  Scofield  of  Council  Bluffs, who  had  been 
a  successful  placer  miner  in  California  in  1849,  joined  with 
his  neighbors,  Samuel  Dillon,  William  Kuhn,  George 
Ritter,  and  Joseph  Wheeler  and  late  in  1858,  fitting  out  a 


THE  OVERLAND  STAGE  LINE  419 

four  ox  team  with  supplies,  started  immediately  for  Pike's 
Peak.  As  they  wandered  among  the  foothills  near  the 
mountains  the  snow  began  to  fly.  With  the  view  of 
establishing  winter  quarters  they  moved  down  to  Cherry 
Creek  and  built  the  first  log  house  erected  in  that  part 
of  the  territory.  This  was  the  beginning  of  Denver. 
This  record  with  the  print  of  the  house  is  furnished  by 
Ira  Scofield  who  was  in  at  the  house  warming.  Thus  was 
planted,  in  what  was  then  Kansas  territory,  another  active 
aggressive  center  of  population  which  was  to  open  the 
slumbering  wealth  of  the  hills,  rouse  the  latent  energies 
of  the  soil  and  carve  out  the  new  state  of  Colorado.  The 
rush  of  fortune-seekers,  the  majority  of  whom  went 
broke,  brought  to  the  Cherry  Creek  country  a  legion  of 
adventurers.  The  town,  which  at  the  beginning  repre- 
sented a  shifting,  unstable  population,  was  named  Den- 
ver in  honor  of  James  W.  Denver,  then  Governor  of 
Kansas  territory. 

After  a  brief  sojourn  in  Denver  I  devoted  a  few  days 
to  a  tour  through  the  new  mining  district  back  in  the 
mountain  gulches,  and  later  through  South  Park  to 
Mount  Lincoln,  which  at  that  time  was  said  to  be  the 
highest  peak  in  the  Rocky  Mountain  Range,  and  which 
I  ascended  on  horseback,  finding  it  an  easy  task. 

The  petrified  forest  in  South  Park  was  then  an  interest- 
ing feature.  There  were  numerous  stumps  of  trees  of 
massive  proportions;  some  of  them  that  I  measm-ed  were 
eighteen  feet  in  diameter.  They  stood  near  together  in  a 
slight  depression,  at  an  altitude  of  almost  10,000  feet. 
They  were  thoroughly  petrified.  The  indication  was 
that  for  a  long  period  their  trunks  had  been  submerged 
to  a  height  of  15  or  20  feet  above  their  bases  in  a  shallow 
lake  of  silicious  waters,  until  the  transformation  to  that 


420        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

height  was  complete.  The  tops  not  having  been  sub- 
merged doubtless  decayed  ages  ago.  With  some  labor 
I  took  home  with  me  a  large  fragment  from  one  great 
petrified  stump,  the  rings  of  which  in  some  places  were 
clearly  defined.  On  counting  them  across  some  level 
section  it  appeared,  by  ascertaining  the  number  of  rings 
to  the  inch,  that  it  had  required  at  least  a  thousand  years 
for  the  tree  to  attain  its  growth.  How  many  thousand 
years  it  had  stood  in  that  barren  valley  since  it  had  been 
converted  into  stone  no  man  can  tell,  but  it  is  certain 
that  the  destructive  hands  of  thoughtless  men,  in  the 
brief  period  of  seven  or  eight  years  after  my  visit,  leveled 
all  the  stumps  to  the  ground  and  used  portions  thereof 
in  various  constructive  works.  In  short,  there  is  little 
left  of  what  should  have  been  preserved  intact  as  an  in- 
teresting, geological  phenomenon.  The  fireplaces  and 
chimneys  in  a  ranch  owned  by  a  Hollander,  named 
Costello,  where  I  once  spent  the  night  near  this  ancient 
forest,  were  built  from  broken  sections  of  these  petrified 
trees. 

The  Butterfield  Overland  Dispatch  had  been  operating 
a  line  of  stages  by  the  Smoky  Hill  route  for  several  weeks, 
and  I  proceeded  onward  from  Denver  by  their  coaches. 
As  stated  by  Root  in  his  volume  The  Overland  Mail, 
this  company  within  eighteen  months  of  its  establishment, 
and  on  account  of  financial  difficulties  brought  on  more 
or  less  by  Indian  depredations,  was  forced  into  liquida- 
tion. 

Evidence  that  the  Indians  were  very  busy  in  endeavor- 
ing to  prevent  the  running  of  these  stages  was  unpleasantly 
convincing.  On  our  first  night  out  we  passed  the  smok- 
ing ruins  of  a  station  that  had  been  burned  by  the  Indians 
within   the  preceding  twenty-four  hours.     Discovering 


\v»'  i;  t  i  .-  *  1  «  &•  1 .1 


.Vi 


i^-iK^r-i:' 


THE   OVERLAND  STAGE  LINE  421 

this  state  of  affairs,  the  passengers  kept  their  guns  close 
at  hand.  Nearly  all  were  provided  with  Spencer  Car- 
bines. 

Having  received  advices  that  trouble  of  this  nature  was 
brewing,  the  driver  had  taken  on  board  a  quantity  of 
provisions  to  be  used  in  an  emergency.  This  prophy- 
lactic measure  proved  exceedingly  fortunate,  because  at 
the  home  station  next  beyond  the  one  that  was  burned, 
the  Indians  had  within  a  few  hours  appropriated  every- 
thing of  the  nature  of  supplies  that  could  be  found  there, 
and  had  then  moved  on  eastward.  For  some  strange 
reason  this  building  was  not  then  burned,  nor  were  the 
keepers  killed.  Our  party  consisted  now  of  seven  pas- 
sengers, one  of  whom  was  Governor  Alfred  Gumming. 
On  entering  the  pillaged  station  we  found  a  slender, 
youthful-looking  man,  with  his  young  wife  and  infant 
child.  They  informed  us  that  on  that  morning  the 
Indians  had  closed  in  on  their  station,  and  as  they  were 
hungry  after  their  raidings  of  the  preceding  night,  the 
husband  in  desperation  had  welcomed  them,  and  he  with 
his  little  wife  had  been  cooking  for  them  until  all  supplies 
were  exhausted.  Their  stock  of  provisions  was  replen- 
ished from  the  supply  brought  by  our  coach,  and  with 
some  assistance  from  our  driver  they  wearily  cooked  our 
breakfast,  in  which  they  were  happy  to  share. 

As  all  the  operations  were  conducted  in  a  single  room, 
the  Governor  conversed  with  the  young  woman  while 
she  was  preparing  the  meal.  In  reply  to  his  questions 
she  said  that  she  and  her  husband  had  been  alone  the 
greater  part  of  the  time  during  the  Indian  troubles,  and 
in  fact  since  the  station  was  built.  She  had  no  physician 
or  nurse  to  assist  her  at  any  time,  but  she  and  her  hus- 
band had  been  able  to  care  for  the  stage  passengers,  who 


422        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

stopped  for  their  meals,  and  had  protected  the  company's 
horses  to  the  best  of  their  ability,  yet  some  of  them  had 
been  run  off  by  the  Indians. 

The  Governor  interested  the  lady  by  unrolling  a 
superb  grizzly-bear  skin,  which  he  was  taking  to  Wash- 
ington as  a  gift  to  the  President. 

At  one  of  the  stations  I  observed  a  circular  cellar 
roofed  with  earth  so  as  to  be  fireproof,  the  sides  being 
built  up  two  or  three  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  ground 
and  provided  with  port  holes.  This  cellar,  or  fort,  was 
connected  with  the  station  house  by  a  subterranean  pas- 
sage, extending  under  the  roadway,  forming  a  tunnel 
about  seventy  feet  in  length.  The  cellar  afforded  a  place 
of  retreat,  in  case  the  station  should  be  fired,  and  an  ex- 
cellent defense  against  attack. 

Our  driver  remarked  that  the  Indians  were  not  the 
only  objects  of  dread.  He  said  that  while  bringing  some 
passengers  on  a  recent  run  out  from  Denver,  he  observed 
that  they  conferred  frankly  with  one  another  on  the  best 
means  for  concealing  their  effects,  as  holdups  were  not  in- 
frequent. A  lady  innocently  informed  her  fellow  travel- 
ers that  she  had  concealed  $100  in  her  stocking  and 
carried  but  $20  in  her  portemonnaie.  The  coach  was 
duly  held  up  at  dusk  by  highwaymen.  The  attack  was 
so  sudden  that  no  defense  was  made.  Each  passenger 
at  the  point  of  a  revolver  was  made  to  pay  tribute  while 
the  driver  was  held  at  the  muzzle  of  a  rifle.  The  woman 
trembling  with  fear  delivered  her  portemonnaie  and 
begged  for  her  life.  A  skinny-looking  miner,  whose  con- 
tribution seemed  to  be  unsatisfactory,  said  to  the  active 
road  agent  of  the  gang,  "If  we  can  rake  up  another  $100 
somewhere,  will  you  let  us  off?"  "Yes,"  said  the  bandit, 
"if  you  will  do  it  d — d  quick." 


THE   OVERLAND   STAGE   LINE  423 

"It's  in  that  woman's  stocking,"  said  the  apparently 
frightened  miner.  The  money  was  promptly  secured, 
and  the  stage  was  permitted  to  proceed.  Some  curses 
and  threats  were  soon  hurled  at  the  ungallant  miner.  He 
finally  said,  "Me  and  the  woman  will  fix  things  up  right 
in  the  morning." 

Sure  enough,  after  the  sun  was  well  up  the  miner 
reached  down  his  boot  leg  and  hauled  out  a  package  of 
$100  bank-notes,  handing  the  lady  from  it  $200  in  good 
money,  and  remarked  that  he  was  not  so  mean  as  he 
seemed  to  be,  but  had  thought  on  the  spur  of  the  moment 
that  this  was  the  easiest  way  of  saving  all  further  un- 
necessary trouble.  He  had  saved  just  $4800  by  his 
diplomacy. 

Not  all  those  reckless  freebooters  were  lost  to  the 
world  even  after  the  iron  rails  were  laid.  It  may  be  of  in- 
terest to  catch  a  glimpse  of  one  of  their  later  haunts  and 
the  home  of  a  better  class  who  had  for  a  time  been  ex- 
posed to  their  influence.  The  trains  at  the  time  in  ques- 
tion were  running  to  Kit  Carson.  It  seemed  that  the 
gamblers  and  adventurers  of  the  Southwest  had  concen- 
tered at  this  point  and  made  its  character  notorious.  It 
was  my  fortune  to  spend  a  night  in  that  settlement, 
while  en  route  to  Fort  Lyon  on  the  Santa  Fe  trail.  The 
tavern  was  a  big  saloon  and  was  said  to  be  the  rendezvous 
for  many  men  who  had  served  their  apprenticeship  on 
the  road,  and  was  the  resort  of  other  experts  from  the 
States. 

"Can't  give  you  a  bed  until  after  midnight,"  said  the 
proprietor  in  reply  to  my  request  for  a  room. 

The  only  comfortable  waiting  place  was  the  billiard 
room,  which  afforded  shelter  until  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  up  to  which  time  whiskey,  gambling,  and  swear- 


424        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

ing  were  blended  in  just  and  equal  proportions.  The 
room  having  furnished  nearly  all  the  revenue  to  be  ex- 
pected for  that  night,  I  was  informed  that  I  could  sleep 
upon  a  billiard  table  temporarily  unused.  It  then  ap- 
peared that  the  bil  Hard  tables  regularly  served  this  double 
purpose.  Enveloped  in  a  blanket  I  appropriated  the 
softest  spot  to  be  found,  and  as  one  by  one  the  abandoned 
tables  were  occupied  by  guests,  I  became  reconciled  to 
my  fate. 

The  next  night  found  me  at  Las  Animas,  in  a  so-called 
hotel,  the  partitions  of  which  were  made  of  canvas. 
Voices  could  easily  be  heard  from  room  to  room.  When 
I  was  retiring,  the  proprietor  informed  me  of  the  death 
of  an  old  resident  who  had  been  in  the  colony  more  than 
a  year,  and  was  therefore  an  old  settler.  A  little  later 
the  same  now  familiar  voice  was  recognized  in  another 
room,  as  he  declared  to  his  wife,  "I  don't  know  what  in 
the  devil  to  do  about  that  funeral.  They  say  they  are 
going  to  get  a  minister." 

"Why,  what  about  it,  Jim,"  replied  the  woman. 

"Wall,  they  expect  me  to  run  it,  and  if  they  have  a 
minister  I  suppose  they  will  want  a  Bible,  and  I  don't 
know  where  in  Hell  to  get  one." 

"You  ain't  going  there  to  hunt  for  one,  are  you?"  said 
the  woman. 

"I  guess  I  could  find  one  there  as  easy  as  I  could  in 
Las  Animas,"  was  the  response. 

"But  say!  Didn't  they  have  one  when  Hat  Morrow 
was  buried?" 

"I  reckon  they  did,  and  I'll  go  right  over  and  find  out. 
If  I'm  to  run  the  job,  I'd  like  to  do  it  in  style." 

The  man  was  soon  heard  to  pass  out  and  close  the  door. 

I  did  not  learn  the  result  of  the  landlord's  quest  for  a 


THE  OVERLAND  STAGE  LINE  425 

Bible,  but  I  was  led  to  believe  that  in  their  hearts  there 
was  a  latent  feeling  of  reverence  for  that  Book,  which  an 
emergency  would  awaken.  The  minister,  however,  may 
have  brought  a  Bible  with  him. 

On  our  second  day  out  from  Denver  our  coach  was 
stopped  fully  half  an  hour,  not  by  bandits  but  by  a 
herd  of  buffalo  uncountable  in  number,  which,  in  a 
solid  body  as  closely  massed  as  a  flock  of  sheep, 
crossed  the  road  moving  southward  on  their  annual 
migration.  From  that  time  for  the  two  succeeding 
days  there  was  not  a  moment  when  there  were 
not  many  thousands  of  buffalo  within  range  of  our  view. 
The  hills  in  every  direction  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach 
were  dotted  with  those  great,  dark-moving  objects.  It 
would  require  no  marksmanship  at  50  or  100  yards  to 
send  our  Spencer  bullets  into  the  mass  without  singling 
out  any  particular  animal.  Three  buffaloes  were  left 
wounded  by  shots  from  a  passenger  who  fired  at  short 
range  from  the  coach  into  the  first  herd  we  encountered. 

The  prairies  of  eastern  Kansas,  from  which  the  buffalo 
had  been  driven,  were  more  fertile  and  produced  grass 
more  luxuriantly  than  the  ranges  farther  west.  When  we 
crossed  those  eastern  plains  on  our  return  trip,  they  had 
become  dry  from  the  frosts  and  late  drouth.  As  we  were 
sitting  on  the  outside  of  the  coach  with  the  driver  one 
night,  we  observed  an  increasing  glow  in  the  southeast, 
which  betokened  an  approaching  prairie  fire  that  was 
being  driven  northward  before  a  brisk  southern  breeze. 
The  leaping  flames  soon  became  visible  and  their  rapid 
progress  was  alarming.  We  considered  the  advisability 
of  halting  and  protecting  ourselves  for  a  time  with  a  back 
fire,  which  is  the  common  practice  when  travelers  are 
threatened  by  such  a  danger.     We  certainly  could  not 


426        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

safely  advance.  The  remedy  was  easy.  Yielding  the 
reins  to  another,  the  driver  jumped  to  the  ground  and  ap- 
plied a  lighted  match  to  the  little  clumps  of  dry  grass  on 
each  side  of  the  road.  On  the  leeward  side  the  flames 
soon  gained  headway  and  sped  off  to  the  northward 
widening  as  they  advanced.  On  the  other  side  they 
crept  slowly  toward  the  oncoming  greater  conflagration 
which  was  approaching  with  a  crackling  and  subdued 
roar  and  lighted  up  the  country  in  every  direction.  Be- 
yond us  they  swept  across  the  road,  but  when  they  met 
the  back  fire,  which  advanced  but  slowly  against  the 
wind  the  two  lines  of  flame  melted  together  into  one  and 
died,  leaving  only  the  few  hot,  black  ashes,  which  quickly 
cooled.  For  hours  the  northern  sky  was  luminous  from 
the  reflection  of  the  receding  flames,  which  crossed  our 
trail  and  swept  onward,  possibly  until  checked  at  the 
shore  of  some  far  away  stream. 

Thus  over  that  broad  uncultivated  expanse  of  fertile 
prairie  those  awe  inspiring  fires  were  sweeping,  as  they 
doubtless  had  often  done  in  centuries  past,  unheeded  ex- 
cept by  the  wild  dwellers  of  the  plains  or  in  later  years  by 
a  few  stray  travelers.  And  this  was  Kansas,  the  first 
and  at  this  time  the  only  trans-Missouri  territory  that 
had  been  welcomed  to  the  sisterhood  of  states,  except 
those  on  our  western  tide-water  that  were  accessible  by 
navigation. 

Although  its  eastern  border  near  the  river  had  been 
settled  somewhat  through  the  stimulus  of  the  intense 
ante-bellum  struggle  to  make  it  a  free  commonwealth, 
its  western  and  central  territory  was  still  unoccupied. 
There  in  the  dawn  of  its  infant  life  this  great  state  lay 
sleeping,  awaiting  the  coming  of  the  day  when  the  farmer 
would  turn  its  virgin  soil,  plant  it  with  seed,  and  reap  the 


THE   OVERLAND  STAGE   LINE  427 

abundant  harvest.  But  those  prairies,  then  remote  from 
commercial  or  mining  centers,  have  no  navigable  waters, 
and  the  planter  cannot  thrive  unless  there  first  be  fur- 
nished some  means  for  transporting  his  crops  to  market. 
Until  these  should  be  provided,  Kansas  and  all  those 
embryo  states  must  slumber  on  undeveloped.  The  ox- 
and  mule-trains  between  the  Missouri  and  the  mines 
or  western  coast  would  follow  the  trails,  as  they  had  done 
in  the  years  gone  by,  leaving  but  little  tribute  on  their 
way. 

A  decade  had  passed  since  Thomas  H.  Benton  in  a 
speech  at  the  St.  Louis  Court  House,  in  advocacy  of  a 
railroad  to  the  Pacific,  suddenly  pointed  toward  the  West 
and  declared  with  dramatic  emphasis,  "There  is  East, 
there  is  India."  In  his  prophetic  vision  he  doubtless 
saw  where  the  East  may  be  said  to  meet  the  West,  on  the 
further  shore  of  the  broad  Pacific,  but  as  the  logical  re- 
sult of  railroad  transportation  he  also  prophesied  the  de- 
velopment of  our  own  western  domain,  all  of  which  would 
be  needed  for  future  generations.  Horace  Greeley  also 
anticipated  this  awakening. 

At  the  time  when  the  great  prairie  fires  occurred,  to 
which  reference  has  just  been  made,  three  years  had 
elapsed  since  the  bill  had  been  passed  by  Congress  pro- 
viding for  the  building  of  the  Pacific  railroad,  and  the 
work  was  already  inaugurated,  both  from  Omaha  and 
Kansas  City,  pushing  out  into  the  unsettled  territory.  In 
the  following  year  the  work  progressed  rapidly  from  both 
initial  points,  and  a  vigorous  population  composed  of 
thrifty  young  people  from  the  middle  states  poured  across 
the  Big  Muddy,  disdainfully  leaving  behind  them  the 
broad  and  equally  fertile  areas  in  Missouri,  partly  be- 
cause they  were  undeveloped  by  railroads,  and   these 


428        THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE  DESERT 

immigrants  built  a  chain  of  villages  along  each  of  the 
new  western  railroad  lines  as  rapidly  as  the  tracks  were 
laid.  These  villages  were  speedily  surrounded  by  the 
green  fields  of  husbandmen,  until  those  roads  were  like 
necklaces  of  steel  with  emerald  settings.  Colleges  were 
soon  built  in  each  of  the  trans-Missouri  territories 
through  which  the  roads  passed,  where  two  decades  be- 
fore the  wolves  had  roamed  at  will. 

A  certain  twentieth  century  statesman  having  ap- 
parently a  less  distinct  knowledge  of  the  past  than  Ben- 
ton and  Greeley  seemed  to  have  of  the  future  has  re- 
cently said,  "States  made  the  railroads,"  and  this  al- 
legation was  assigned  as  the  reason  why  state  legisla- 
tures should  regulate  railroads  without  interference  by 
the  United  States  Government.  In  watching  the  magi- 
cal development  of  the  West,  as  I  have  carefully  done, 
and  observing  that  its  evolution,  sometimes  on  its  fertile 
lands,  at  other  times  on  arid  deserts  once  regarded  as 
hopeless,  was  always  rapid  along  or  near  the  new  lines  of 
transportation  and  scanty,  if  at  all,  elsewhere,  one  is 
tempted  to  invert  the  statesman's  assertion  that  "States 
made  railroads"  and  declare  with  greater  justice  that 
"Railroads  have  made  states,"  and  while  like  men  they 
should  be  subject  to  regulation,  they  also  deserve  that 
reasonable  protection  to  which  a  prime  factor  in  modern 
civilization  is  entitled. 

Nearly  half  a  century  has  passed  since  there  began 
this  sudden  and  wonderful  awakening  of  the  Western 
Wilderness,  the  processes  leading  up  to  which  are  de- 
scribed in  these  pages  as  they  were  unfolded  to  one  who 
had  observed  them  from  the  first  quickening  of  Western 
emigration. 

The  Wild  West  as  still  caricatured  in  the  arena  by 


THE   OVERLAND   STAGE   LINE  42d 

dashing,  reckless  circus  cowboys  and  swift-footed  Texas 
steers  is  no  more.  The  limitless  ranges  of  semi-arid  lands 
over  which  those  riders  coursed  their  hardy  mustangs 
are  now  partitioned  by  wire  fences  within  which  steady 
herdsmen  watch  their  blooded  stock. 

The  old  Oregon  and  Santa  Fe  trails  stretching  half  way 
across  the  continent  over  wide  wastes  unpeopled  except 
by  savage  tribes,  once  the  scene  of  innumerable  thrilling 
adventures  and  desperate  encounters,  are  now  quite  for- 
gotten except  as  they  are  held  in  vivid  remembrance  by 
the  few  still  living  who  have  traced  their  dusty  courses 
across  the  plains  and  deserts  or  their  sinuous  pathways 
through  the  mountain  canyons. 

Steel  railways  now  parallel  those  trails  along  which 
trains  of  prairie  schooners  slowly  crept,  and  thousands 
of  miles  of  steel  branches  radiate  from  them  across  vast 
areas  hardly  visited  fifty  years  ago  even  by  the  explorer. 

The  warrior  tribes  are  subdued  and  driven  to  reserva- 
tions; the  buffalo  is  seen  no  more  on  those  broad  vistas; 
a  dozen  great  and  populous  commonwealths  have  arisen 
in  those  territories  and  have  been  added  to  the  galaxy 
of  American  States,  and  thriving  cities  and  towns, 
thoroughly  abreast  with  advanced  civilization,  are  now 
scattered  over  the  expanse  defined  on  the  old  maps  as  the 
Great  American  Desert. 


i 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 
LOS  ANGELES 


